Kaplan resident frustrated with pothole problems

KAPLAN, La. (KLFY) -- John Bourque is a resident of Kaplan who has voiced his concerns to city leaders about potholes.

Bourque said he knows the negative impact of having to drive over potholes after having replaced one of the tires on his truck.  

"Let's get these roads fixed up where no one will break their tires or break their car.

We drove with Bourque to different areas in Kaplan needing road repairs.

Those roads include Herpin Street, Montgomery, 8th and 9th Streets, Louisiana Avenue, Jackson Street, and 2nd Street. 

"I know a bunch of people talking about it but nothing gets done in this town. Where's the council? Where's everything all the people have a meeting about to see about fixing these roads?"  

Kaplan Mayor Mike Kloesel said potholes are not just an issue in Kaplan, rather it is happening almost every municipality in the state of Louisiana.

He says some of the reasons include the structure and soil of roadways and of course the funding.  

Furthermore, he said one of the things that have played a big part recently in the potholes and getting work done on them is the two weeks of rain Kaplan had experienced. 

"We get out and fix those potholes as soon as we can. We do have to let those potholes dry before we can add coal mix to it. That's why it takes a little bit longer," Kloesel said.  

"After a big heavy rain like we had for two weeks, we got potholes all over town literally, and we go through trying to fix the biggest one." 

News 10 saw work crews repairing some potholes among Herpin Street and N. Crushing.

Klosel said they are running cameras underneath all of those roadways to an independent company and checking out to ensure that once they do the overlay, it will stay so they do not have to tear it up to replace the covert. 

"Herpin Street, that whole roadway will be repaved within the next six to eight months, I'm guessing." 

Klosel encourages residents to drive the speed limit of 25 miles per hour on roadways where work is being done.  

"We certainly know that there's a problem. Funding is always an issue with regard to infrastructure repairs. You have to decide where you're going to spend the money and how you're going to spend the money that you have, and I think that the city council has done a pretty good job of allocating the money where it needs to go right now," Kloesel said.