The Brewers are giving Milwaukee $27,500 to buy an asphalt hot box to fill potholes

Springtime in Milwaukee has always meant two things: the Milwaukee Brewers, and potholes. So what would happen if those two stalwarts came together? Well…

On Thursday, the city’s Public Works Committee agreed to accept a monetary gift of $27,500 from the Brewers, designated for the purchase of an asphalt hot box for pothole repairs. Brewers decals will be affixed to the equipment, and up to 75 Brewers logos will be stenciled on top of the repaired potholes. Brilliant.

“The old method of how we typically patch up potholes works for the time being, but it’s definitely short-sighted, and there’s definitely an opportunity for us to do better,” said Alderwoman Sharlen Moore, who sponsored the resolution. “And so we have this amazing opportunity, and I just want to thank our Milwaukee Brewers for providing us with the resources. Definitely a win-win for our city.”

Tom Wangerin, the city’s Street Services Manager, said the Department of Public Works had rented a similar asphalt hot box last year, and had been pleased with the results. The city’s Innovation Director, Jim Bohl, explained the benefits of the machine.

“This piece of equipment will enable the city to utilize asphalt material during extended periods of the year,” Bohl said. “Normally, our availability of hot patch is something that comes only in April. There’s a lot of limitations with cold patch. We have to utilize asphalt material and go outside of the city to garner that.

“When you have a traditional hot box,” Bohl continued, “that material cools in the hot box and it renders it un-useful. It basically is a brick, and you can’t put a brick into a hole. And in the winter months, we’re restricted by cold patch, which doesn’t have the same ability. This particular piece of equipment will allow us to recycle, to utilize, and to store things that are un-utilized overnight, to actually heat it up.”

The $27,500 Brewers gift will cover both the equipment itself and the decal and stenciling work. The temporary stencils will be two feet by two feet, explained City Engineer Kevin Muhs, and will be the Brewers ball and glove logo, as God and Uecker intended.

“We know how rough this winter has been and that it creates some difficult road conditions across our city,” said Rick Schlesinger, Milwaukee Brewers President – Business Operations, in a statement. “The Brewers are happy to support our hometown of Milwaukee by providing resources that help keep our community operating smoothly with improved infrastructure. We are ready to lend a hand, on and off the field, to alleviate some of the challenges created by this season’s harsh weather.”

“I join in cheering the Milwaukee Brewers for their generous support and for stepping up to the plate to help us fill the growing number of potholes caused by this year’s freezing temperatures,” said Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement. “Potholes are a problem, and this partnership goes a long way to solving that problem. This donation provides our crews the ability to deliver higher-quality, efficient repairs and expands our access to hot mix asphalt, strengthening our capability to respond quickly, improve street safety, and better serve residents across all neighborhoods.”