As spring approaches and the snow and ice melt, students may notice an increased number of potholes found across campus parking lots.
When asked if the potholes on campus affect them, sophomore Malik Selmani shared his experience.
“Last year, I had a tire come off because of a pothole I hit in front of the [Living and Learning] Commons. [It] cost me three grand,” Selmani said.
Junior Owen Goupil said, “I am always worried about damage to my car and/or tires. The potholes are genuinely terrible and shake my whole vehicle around.”
Other students expressed the same concern for their vehicle’s safety. “I keep thinking my tires are going to get popped,” sophomore Jocelyn Carnahan echoed.
Although students may be discovering these potholes, they are not communicating the issue through the proper channels.
“I’ve had zero complaints that have come to me directly,” said Joe Britton, the facility manager for grounds services, “[But] my crew and I have noticed [the potholes.]”
Britton encourages students, staff and faculty to submit complaints through the work order system to address serious issues as soon as possible.
Cold weather has prevented Britton and his crew from attempting to fix potholes around campus, but with the recent arrival of some early spring weather, they have already begun to take action.
“We are addressing the worst potholes in the most traveled areas using cold patch material,” Britton said.
Cold patch is an easy-to-use asphalt repair material used to fix cracks and potholes. However, it can become brittle if repeatedly thawed, making it less effective in unpredictable spring weather.
As a short-term solution, the school purchased 2000 pounds of cold patch to fill a majority of the potholes around campus. Over spring break, Britton and his crew patched potholes all over campus with cold patch material with plans to repave in the future.
Long-term, the grounds crew was recently approved for funding to repave the worst areas.
“There’s going to be a big focus on Winchester Lot, Butler Court and around Carle Hall because that’s where the majority of our students live and that’s where a lot of the student traffic is,” Britton said.
Goupil recalled the poor condition of the parking lot during his past three years at the school.
“I would just appreciate it if [the school] made it more accessible for students and their cars. We pay for this parking, so it’d be appreciated at the least,” said Goupil.
Britton said the grounds crew has plans to start work as soon as the school year ends, aiming to complete the project before school starts in the fall.
Xander Noel can be contacted at
