Report a Pothole

Repairing potholes is one of the core services of the Public Works Streets Department.

Before repairs can be made, holes must be dry and free of debris. Therefore, repairs are not completed during or immediately following rain or snow events. Potholes are never temporarily filled with gravel because the extensive work required to remove the gravel before making repairs makes it impractical.

Note: The county and the state manage some roads in Ramsey, and the City does not handle requests regarding those roads.

Contact info for each entity:

City

City Roads (blue on the map to the left)

Please use the Report a Problem to Public Works feature to report a dangerously large pothole. You will be asked for a location, such as a cross street or street address, as well as your name, address, and contact information.

Button Report a Pothole on a City Street Opens in new window

County

County Roads (green in the map to the left, such as Armstrong Boulevard, Bunker Lake Boulevard, Nowthen Boulevard, or Sunfish Lake Boulevard)

Anoka County Highway
763-324-3100

Button Report a Pothole on a County Road Opens in new window

State

State Roads (red in the map to the left, such as Hwy 47 or 65, U.S. Hwy 10 or 169, or Interstates 35, 35E, or 35W)

MnDOT Dispatch
651-237-7110, the general 24-hour number for the Metro Division Office

Button Report a Pothole on a State Highway Opens in new window

Map

Pavement Maintenance

Two male city workers shoveling pavement patching materials in potholes and compacting it

During pothole season, City maintenance crews fix potholes on busy roads first. They often use cold patch materials, which can break down with temperature changes, so that a pothole may need repair again within a couple of days.

In the summer, crews use hot asphalt or velocity patching for longer-lasting repairs. Hot mix can last a year or more. Workers clean potholes with compressed air, fill them with asphalt, and compact it. Repairs can only occur when the holes are dry and free of debris, so they cannot be performed during or right after rain or snow. Crews never use gravel for temporary fixes because removing it later requires extra work.

How is a Pothole Formed?

Pavement surface with a deep pothole in it with loose rock debris at the bottom of the hole

Potholes are mainly caused by freeze-thaw cycles from February to April. During warmer days, road surfaces thaw, allowing water to seep into cracks. When temperatures drop again, the water freezes, expands, and cracks the pavement, creating potholes.

In Ramsey, about half the streets were built between 1975 and 1985 and are nearing or past their useful life, needing replacement sooner than 30 years. The City stopped seal coating streets in 2019 due to observed damage from multiple treatments. Winter 2023 was particularly wet, with many freeze-thaw cycles further deteriorating these streets.

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