Jeremy Witzel: the Shakespeare man on a mission to keep Stratford rolling and safe

The City of Stratford’s manager of public works, Jeremy Witzel, brings his farming background with him as he continues to work hard, with sometimes long hours, to keep city streets safe for motorists travelling through city streets.

There is a young man who now lives with his family in Shakespeare, who tries to do his best when it comes to keeping streets, sidewalks and roads in Stratford in very good condition, but sometimes it seems like an uphill battle against the weatherman.

His name is Jeremy Witzel and he is the manager of public works in Stratford.

When asked about the season of potholes, in which we are in right now, Witzel said potholes almost never start as potholes.

“They usually begin as tiny cracks with open joints, worn edges, or utility cuts,” Witzel said. “When snow melt or rain gets into those openings, water works its way down into the asphalt and the road base underneath.

“Then the freeze and thaw cycle does the damage when temperatures bounce above and below 0° Celsius, which can occur sometimes on the same day.”

Trapped water freezes, expands and the cracks widen. After enough cycles, the pavement is weakened often before you can even see a problem on the surface. The manager said “the real surge comes during spring thaw.”

As frost leaves the ground, parts of the road structure can become waterlogged and loses its strength. Under traffic, those weaken spots break apart quickly, turning a cracked area into a pothole in a short time. Traffic is the final “breaker,” as Witzel explained.

“Once the road is cracked and the base is soft, vehicle loads can pop loose chunks of asphalt and the hole grows quickly, especially on busier routes.”

Witzel also said “that poor drainage or blocked catch basins can keep water sitting on and soaking into the road longer. Winter plowing can also impact already weakened edges or older patches.”

Road salt and brine can help move water into cracks and keep it liquid longer during colder season swings, meaning more opportunities for water to get in and freeze again. He said the city’s patrol and triage work is just as important as patching, and they actively look for potholes so they can respond as quickly as they can, especially on priority routes.

Public works are always patrolling and prioritizing makeshift repairs on higher risk locations and busy routes. He said, “Using temporary repairs when conditions are tough, and scheduling permanent hot mix repairs as soon as temperatures and asphalt plant availability allow.”

Witzel reminded the public to report any potholes with the location and details to help the municipality respond faster, which can be done at https://tinyurl.com/3p9yudxp.

Witzel thanked everyone for their patience during this challenging pothole season and Mayor Martin Ritsma thanked him, telling the Times that the work of the manager is exemplary.

“Jeremy Witzel looks after his 30+ employees with decency and respect,” Ritsma said. “… He works hard to keep city streets in as great a shape as is possible.”