Commonly Asked Questions

To report a pothole on a Borough road, you can call 717-240-1238 and provide the location of the pothole.

Potholes can also be reported to our website by clicking on the “Report an Issue” button or visiting this page: https://www.carlislepa.org/citizen_request/index.php. Select “Pothole or Road Issue” from the dropdown menu when filling out the form.

These methods should only be used to report a pothole on a Borough-owned and maintained street. All other streets are maintained by PennDOT or considered private property.

  • Allen Road (PA 465)
  • B Street from North College Street to Borough line (PA 74)
  • Carlisle Springs Road (PA 34)
  • East High Street (PA 641, PA 74)
  • East North Street (SR 2002)
  • North College Street from B Street to West High Street. (PA 74)
  • North Hanover Street (US 11, PA 34)
  • Ritner Highway (US 11)
  • South College Street from West High Street to Walnut Bottom Road (SR 3025)
  • South Hanover Street (PA 34)
  • Trindle Road (PA 641)
  • Walnut Bottom Road (SR 3023)
  • West High Street (US 11, PA 641, PA 74)
  • West Willow Street from South Hanover Street to South West Street (SR 3023)
  • York Road (PA 74)

To report a pothole on a PennDOT road, call 1-800-FIX-ROAD (1-800-349-7623).

You can also report them online at https://customercare.penndot.gov/.

Potholes form when the top layer of pavement and the material beneath cannot support the weight of traffic and is further eroded by stormwater.

Moisture seeps into the pavement through various cracks and erodes the material underneath, causing the pavement to sink down and break. During winter, the water under the pavement freezes and thaws. This cycle can cause the pavement to crack. Once cracked, the pavement can rapidly deteriorate under the weight of traffic, and stormwater erosion, weakening the road surface and creating potholes.

First crews remove any loose debris, dirt, and standing water from the pothole. Next, they fill the potholes with cold patch. Cold patch is made of stone, oil, and tar and can work even in colder weather. Once the hole is filled, the crews compact the material by driving over it with their truck.

Cold patch is not a permanent solution, but it helps extend the life of the pavement until it can be repaved.

As of February 21, our field operations crews have fixed over 40 potholes throughout the Borough in 2025.

The Borough maintains a transportation system of approximately 57 miles of roads and 18 miles of alleys. Road maintenance is funded by the Municipal Liquid Fuels Grant funds we receive from PennDOT annually. The limited funds allow us to only mill and pave a certain number of areas each year.
Yes. Our crews perform crack sealing throughout the year. It’s one of the most affordable preventative maintenance treatments, helping to extend the life of roads by preventing water from seeping into cracks and damaging their structural integrity.
Yes, we coordinate internally with our water and sewer departments, as well as with outside utilities like UGI, to minimize disruptions to newly paved roads. However, emergency repairs in recently paved areas can sometimes be unavoidable.
  • Noble Blvd. (Walnut Bottom to Hillside Dr.)
  • South St. (Hanover St. to East St. ½ width)
  • Walnut St. (Pitt St. – West St.)
  • West St. (B St. to G St.)
  • West St. (High St. to Louther St.)
  • West St. (Louther St. to North St.
  • West St. (North St. to Lincoln St.)
  • West St. (Pomfret St. to High St.)

This year’s program also includes spot repairs at the following locations. These areas were part of sanitary sewer work in 2024.

  • 601 Mooreland Ave. (Part 1)
  • 601 Mooreland Ave. (Part 2)
  • 433 Mooreland Ave. (Part 1)
  • 433 Mooreland Ave. (Part 2)
  • 450 Noble Blvd.
  • Penrose Pl at S. West St.
  • Ridge St. at Bicentennial Dr.
  • 215 W. Ridge St.
  • 235 W. Ridge St.
  • 239 W. Ridge St.
  • 325 W. Ridge St.
  • 353 W. Ridge St.
  • 351 W. Ridge St.
  • Wilson St. & Walnut St.
  • 705 Wilson St.

In some areas, past repaving efforts have built up the street to the point where it nearly reaches the top of the curb. This happens when roads are paved over without milling—meaning new pavement is layered on top of the old surface repeatedly. Over time, this creates excessive crowning of the road and reduces curb height.

The Borough’s current mill and pave operations minimizes this issue by milling an inch and a half of the existing pavement before repaving with the same amount of material. This process maintains the original curb height. Before any paving project, we also evaluate curb heights and conditions to address any necessary repairs in advance. Additionally, we replace curb ramps at intersections within the paving area to ensure they meet current ADA standards.

For curbs on state roads, we work with PennDOT whenever possible to advocate for solutions that address this issue in their project plans.