NEWS AT SIX. THIS IS A WUSA 12 EDITORIAL WITH PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER JAN WADE MILWAUKEE HAS SOME OF THE WORST ROADS IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. THAT’S ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY THAT FOUND 54% OF OUR ROADS ARE IN POOR CONDITION. ONLY 16% ARE IN GOOD CONDITION, WHILE THE REST ARE MEDIOCRE OR FAIR. POOR ROADS ARE DEFINED AS EXTREMELY DETERIORATED WITH POTHOLES OR SIGNS OF DISTRESS THAT COVER 50 TO 75% OF THE ROAD COSTS. MILWAUKEE RANKS AS HAVING THE FOURTH WORST MAINTAIN ROADS AND THE THIRD HIGHEST CAR REPAIRS, AVERAGING JUST UNDER $1,000 A YEAR. THAT’S A LOT, ESPECIALLY WHEN LARGE POTHOLES ARE A BIG CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE TO MAKE THINGS WORSE, THIS YEAR, THE CITY IS RESPONDING TO A HIGH NUMBER OF POTHOLE REQUESTS. NEARLY 10,000 HAVE BEEN REPORTED. SO FAR, AND THAT’S CLOSING IN ON THE RECORD SET IN 2019. IN CASE YOU’RE WONDERING WHY THERE ARE SO MANY POTHOLES THIS YEAR, EXPERTS BLAME FLUCTUATIONS IN TEMPERATURES, SAYING EARLY WARM SPELLS. THIS PAST FEBRUARY IS THE SUSPECTED CAUSE. AN OTHER CHALLENGE THE CITY FACES, WHICH ADDS TO THE PROBLEM, IS A SHORTAGE OF STREET MAINTENANCE WORKERS. THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS HAS A 25% VACANCY RATE RIGHT NOW WITH 85 FUNDED POSITIONS AND ONLY 67 FILLED ACCORDING TO DPW, FILLING POTHOLES WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A LONG TERM FIX, PAVING OR RECONSTRUCTION OF ROADS IS OFTEN WHAT’S NEEDED, AND THAT TAKES MONEY. BUT THE GOVERNOR HIMSELF HAS BEEN ON POTHOLE PATROL AND SAYS HE PUT FUNDING FOR ROADS INTO HIS BUDGET. THOSE DOLLARS WOULD CERTAINLY HELP. AS WITH THE SHARED REVENUE PLAN FOR MILWAUKEE’S CITY AND COUNTY IF IT EVER GETS PASSED IN THE MEANTIME, AS YOU DRIVE DOWN THE CITY STREETS, YOU BETTER BUCKLE UP BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO BE A LONG, BUMPY RIDE. I’M JA