The City of Painesville is roughly 7 square miles and the Public Works Department maintains and repairs 207 paved streets and highways within the corporate limits. For information regarding road repairs, potholes and clean up, contact the Public Works office at 440-392-9676. For more information about road resurfacing projects and planning, please reach out to the Engineering Department at 440-392-5935.

   

Potholes and Broken Pavement

The Public Works Department makes every effort to keep up with pothole development. However, many ongoing daily events contribute to the disintegration of city streets, particularly in the winter. Potholes can be caused by freeze-thaw cycles, snow plow blades, vibrations from traffic and trains, heavy equipment and more. Please take extreme care during winter months, as potholes can occur in a matter of hours. If you see a pothole, call us at 440-392-9676 and leave a message.
 
During the winter, weather permitting, potholes are filled with a cold-patch material as soon as they are reported to the Public Works Department. In warmer weather, an asphalt hot-patch mixture is used to repair them. If it is not possible to correct a pothole immediately, a caution barricade will be erected at the site until the weather breaks.

  

 

Sinkhole Investigation

Sinkholes can appear anywhere and are the result of moving water underground washing away the supporting sub-base, soil and rock. Though technically they can happen anywhere, in our community sinkholes happen most often in the streets where utility piping (water/sewer) exists. If a pipe breaks, the sub-surface area becomes vulnerable to erosion with the moving water. 

 

If you note a pavement aberration, hear rushing water or suspect the formation of a sinkhole to be occurring, please call Public Works Department immediately at 440-392-9676. 

 

 

Debris Removal & Street Sweeping

Street sweeping is conducted by Public Works from May through September, depending on the weather. During this period, the City’s Sweeper is piloted through the downtown area once a week, prior to 8:00 a.m. Curbed residential streets are swept once or twice per month, depending on need. Public Works also does extensive litter pick up throughout the city's roadways.

 

In addition, Public Works may be called upon to sweep certain streets following construction projects to alleviate dust and debris from the area. Our Safety Services (Police and Fire) rely on Public Works to remove any debris on the streets that results from traffic accidents, items falling from vehicles/equipment, and non-hazardous spills or leaks. Please call us at 440-392-9676 if you see an item in the roadway that does not belong there. 

 

 

Roadkill Removal

Roadkill can be unpleasant for everyone involved. Please adhere to the following:

    • If an animal is killed in the street and you recognize it as someone’s pet, please kindly notify the owner, who should remove it.
    • If an animal is struck by a vehicle and is alive, but incapacitated in the roadway, please call the Painesville Police Department at 440-354-3434 to aid in its disposition.
    • If an animal is wild or undomesticated and is laying on the roadway, please contact Public Works at 440-392-9676 so we can collect it.
    • If an animal is wild or undomesticated and is laying in a yard or ditch, the animal is on private property and therefore the owners responsibility. There are many local businesses that handle animal control, nuisance and trapping who will come out and remove the animal for you.
Not roadkill, but have an animal problem? Check out the Nuisance Animals page.