For fear of tires and chassis, many motorists drive sinuous lines in many places as a precaution. (Christian Kosak)
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Bremen-North. Spring shows the consequences of the severe winter: Numerous roads have potholes. Even if the Office for Roads and Transport (ASV) is constantly working to patch them up as quickly as possible, not every crater in Bremen-Nord is closed again. For fear of tires and chassis, many motorists therefore drive serpentine lines in many places. The three ASV inspectors, who regularly inspect the roads in North Bremen alone, found 240 potholes this year. Damage reported by citizens or the police is not recorded statistically.
Of the 240 potholes recorded in Bremen-Nord, 86 had already been removed by the beginning of last week, according to Andrea Voth, communications officer at the ASV. Two contractors repair the damage. Orders for the repair of 121 more potholes have already been awarded, according to Voth.
How quickly it goes before a hole is patched up again depends, according to her, on the extent to which the individual damage endangers traffic. In the event of acute traffic hazards, the ASV reacts ad hoc. At unusual times, the damage is blocked off, says Voth, until the “repair team moves out”. Once it’s on site, it’s quick: According to ASV, it takes around ten to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the crater, to mend a hole in the asphalt. How it is eliminated depends on the particular damage.
The ASV also explains how potholes, which usually form in the winter months as a result of freeze-thaw weather changes, are created: “Low temperatures and a large number of heavy vehicles cause small cracks in the road surface. Water penetrates these cracks, then expands in the cold and freezes. This will raise the asphalt. In warmer weather, the ice under the asphalt thaws again and puddles of water remain. When vehicles – especially heavy traffic – then use the road, the surface crumbles more and more and the suction of the tires pulls pieces of the crumbling road surface with it; a pothole is created. This process is accelerated by road salt, as it has a corrosive effect. “
There is therefore a risk of road damage all year round. Holger Horstmann, who heads Department 4, Road maintenance at the Office for Roads and Transport (ASV), explains: “Even in spring potholes can still arise.” The night frost in spring is enough for new potholes to develop and through road use, “Especially through truck traffic”, potholes could form anew all year round.
more on the subject
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Elimination of winter damage
-ADAC calls for longer-term planning for Bremen streets
After the severe frost weeks at the beginning of the month, the winter damage to Bremen’s roads is more numerous this year than in previous years. The ADAC calls for a new …
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The three inspectors who are on duty in Bremen-Nord regularly check around 330 kilometers of road. The frequency of the controls depends on the traffic significance of the road. They are regularly inspected every two, four or eight weeks. “The following applies in all cases: In the event of imminent danger, the damage must be rectified immediately,” emphasizes Voth. According to her, roads that have not yet been officially opened are particularly affected. Compared to the rest of the city, there are a particularly large number of these in Bremen-Nord due to the incorporation into Bremen in 1939.
The road maintenance budget for North Bremen is two million euros. It was increased in 2018 because the cost of the repair work had increased. Still, more potholes cannot be removed.
Although there are hole after hole in many Bremen streets: The situation is nowhere so bad that it has to be completely closed somewhere – neither in the past nor at the moment, emphasizes Horstmann. “Short-term closures were only necessary in order to be able to carry out maintenance measures,” he says. And this work in turn ensured that no streets in Bremen have to be blocked.
Down to business
Damage from potholes
It happens again and again that motorists file recourse claims against the city when they discover damage to their vehicle caused by a pothole. In most cases, however, they are unsuccessful in their claims for damages, as Andrea Voth emphasizes. The reason: the city protects itself by putting up appropriate signs. The warning “Warning, road damage!” Is sufficient. It is intended to induce drivers to reduce their speed. That means: If you pass such a sign and then break a tire in a pothole, you are left with the costs.
Claims for damages can be directed to the Department 16 – Legal Office – at the Senator for Climate Protection, Environment, Mobility, Urban Development and Housing, Contrescarpe 72.
additional Information
Citizens who discover damage to roads, cycle paths and sidewalks can report them online to the Office for Roads and Traffic. Those interested can find the corresponding form on the website www.asv.bremen.de under the tab “Service”, “Fault messages”, “Damage to roads, bike paths and sidewalks”.
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