March in Boston means the Red Sox at spring training, joggers on the Charles, and potholes in our streets. Mayor Thomas M. Menino has directed the Public Works Department to begin its annual push to fill the potholes created by the cold, snowy winter. This year, he’s adding a twist. He’s asking residents to “SpotHoles,” to find potholes and report them to the city. Public Works crews will be on the streets daily, finding and filling these craters but this year we are also seeking resident engagement to help us identify problem spots.

“Boston’s residents deserve a smooth ride,” said Mayor Menino. “Our city works best when everyone works together. With residents help we can identify and repair potholes more quickly than if Public Works did it alone. We encourage residents to report potholes using our Citizens Connect app, calling the Mayor’s Hotline, or even tweeting @NotifyBoston with the hashtag #spotholes.”

The Public Works Department fills over 19,000 potholes annually, but we’re convinced there is more to do.

The public can monitor the City’s progress here, where we’ll feature a tally of potholes filled during this two week campaign, a map of all open and closed pothole cases, and other related content. Constituents can alert the City to potholes through Boston’s suite of reporting tools. The options include calling the Mayor’s Hotline at 617-635-4500 with the address of the pothole; submitting a photo with the Citizens Connect app which automatically locates the pothole; filing a request online at www.cityofboston.gov/mayor/24/ and reporting the pothole on Twitter by tweeting @NotifyBoston with the hashtag #spotholes.

“Filling potholes is our most important task each spring. Our inspectors and patch crews work extraordinarily hard to repair our roads. Citizen reports aid our efforts tremendously, allowing us to fill potholes more quickly,” said Joanne Massaro, Commissioner of Public Works, on her department’s preparations for the SpotHoles campaign.