PHOENIX — You can find cracks on streets across many neighborhoods across the Valley and the City of Phoenix works hard to get them fixed. Although it may not be as aesthetically pleasing, ABC15 is told the process gets the job done.
"It's just vibration... constantly feel the bumps. I mean, the wheel shakes," said Tom Sanfilippo, a concerned neighbor.
Sanfilippo describes his drive along East White Aster Street in Ahwatukee, the street he lives on.
"Actually, we have a vehicle that we just moved out to a second property that was here for the full duration. Right now, we are having issues with the steering wheel. There's a lot of play in it," said Sanfilippo.
The City of Phoenix uses a high-tech van to collect data on the thousands of miles worth of city streets — detecting cracks, roughness and rutting. This helps them prioritize which areas need repairs first.
Sanfilippo told ABC15 his street used to be filled with cracks, and the city then filled those with a rubberized sealant two years ago to limit deterioration. Shortly after, Sanfilippo said bumps began to appear.
A seal coat was then put on the street in August, but it only made things worse.
"Three years ago, it was in better condition than it is today," said Sanfilippo.
The Street Transportation Department said the crack seal is normally raised from the pavement and then the seal coat that follows would compensate and level it some. Neighbors say it did the opposite in this case.
"It's just very bumpy; it's not a smooth ride. We have a lot of kids in the neighborhood who like to ride their bikes and the sidewalk is actually better than the road it seems. It's not as bumpy," said Nicole Burns.
The city asks that you contact them if you have any issues with a road and they will send someone out. Sanfilippo emailed a complaint, along with photos, to the streets department. In response, a superintendent went to East White Aster Street last month and is still working with those neighbors.
ABC15 was told that depending on the road's condition, milling overlay is another option for fixing cracks. Although, the price tag for that is more expensive.
The city has an annual budget of $60 million a year for road maintenance so, that determines what they can do.
"I would rather have it done properly, even if it takes them longer to get around to the roads," said Sanfilippo.