potholes—dc patches them on the super cheap

construction of the metropole (i can't think of a lamer name for a condo building) is nearly completed, at least on the exterior. this building, on the northeast corner of 15th and p nw, has kept the sidewalk, bus stop, and parking spaces on this corner in limbo for years as they've slowly put this building together.

now that the sidewalk has been given back to pedestrians and increased parking is back for patrons of the businesses on that block, i thought that maybe the city would pave p street between 14th and 15th. that block is one of the most pothole-ridden stretches of a major road in the district. biking along that block has been especially treacherous, since it's often impossible to avoid frame-shaking potholes because of the heavy traffic.

well, the district has patched the potholes! great news, right? well, not so fast. unfortunately, the execrable "pothole killer" service was used to patch some of these holes. hopefully this is a temporary fix until the road is completely repaved, and soon. look at these pictures below:

see all of that gravel that ends up flaking out of the cheap tar-and-chip job done by the pothole killer people? that gravel makes it even more dangerous for cyclists.

braking or turning (even slightly) on pea gravel like that can make your bicycle kick out from underneath you. it's dangerous, and the district is opening itself up to a potential liability issue, i'd wager. unfortunately, this is done all over the city. i guess ddot found a way to save a buck or two. i wish they'd just spend the few extra dollars and do the job right, instead of cheaply.