CHICAGO (WBBM) — The Chicago area’s thaw is allowing pothole patching crews a chance to hit the streets with renewed vigor.

City transportation officials have pothole patching crews on the street around the clock.

Most of the work is done by day — 20 crews right now — but a couple of crews work at night in places that would be unsafe during the day. Four crews work weekends.

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City transportation commissioner Bobby Ware said pothole patching has continued through the winter, since early December, except for a few days during and following the Feb. 1-2 blizzard.

Not all potholes are created equal, and Ware said the same is true for repairs.

He said that top priority goes to axle-benders on main thoroughfares and in spots that could result in big traffic delays. But he said every pothole reported is plotted on a computerized map grid, so that patching crews can attack a lot of potholes at once.

Although the city’s 311 non-emergency line received 400 complaints about potholes Monday, Ware said many potholes don’t get filled quickly simply because no one reports them.

“Do not expect the person either driving in front of you or behind you top to report that pothole,” said Ware. “Chances are they’re expecting the same thing.”

Claims for damage caused by potholes don’t go to the Department of Transportation, though. Ware said that’s the job of the city clerk’s office.

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