By JOHN HOWELL

William DePasquale, acting chief of staff, says he doesn’t want to do “the pothole slalom” – nor does he believe other motorists should have to.

But with a break, finally, from the winter freeze and snow, not only are trees and shrubs starting to bud, potholes are popping up everywhere. And that means the newly established city pothole hotline is lighting up.

As of yesterday morning, DePasquale said the hotline had received 104 online notifications. In addition, the city takes pothole calls during regular hours and recordings after hours.

DePasquale would like to believe “we’re out of the woods” with the snow and ice. However, even if plows could be put away for the remainder of the winter, the likelihood of rain and temporary freezes doesn’t bode well for roads.

“There’s the cold/warm factor,” DePasquale said, referring to the thaw/freeze process that turns road cracks into craters, forcing motorists to play dodge ’em, if they’re lucky enough to spot potholes, or be jarred as they bounce through them. DePasquale said the season has been tough not just on the roads, but on just about everybody.

“They lose those days and they never get them back,” he said of businesses that saw their sales drop, if they were open at all. “I’m hoping for a spring full of sunshine.”

With the pothole hotline, the city promises to have much more information than it has had in the past.

“We’re getting feedback from the number one source, and we’ll get as much information as we can and we’ll be ahead of the game,” DePasquale said.

Both DePasquale and David Picozzi, Warwick’s director of public works, anticipate many of the hotline calls are for potholes on state roads. That’s OK. Those pothole sightings will be passed along to the state. In fact, yesterday morning, a state crew was filling potholes in the middle of West Shore Road. Other holes, many filled with snow and ice melt, were marked with cones and barrels.

DePasquale sees information gleaned from public input as being integrated with an overall assessment of the 400 miles of city streets. City engineers have been rating roads as part of a pavement management strategy DePasquale is looking to develop in response to the aging system of city roads. He sees two means of prolonging the life of roads before choosing a complete reconstruction, which is the most costly. A resurfacing would follow crack sealing, the first line of road repair and the least costly.

He said this systemized approach to pavement management would help establish an ongoing repair program and best use funding available to maintain roads.

At present, city and state crews are using cold patch to fill potholes. Unfortunately, the material offers only a temporary fix until crews can return with asphalt. While the J.H. Lynch and Sons asphalt plant was operating yesterday, conditions were hardly ideal for road repairs or surfacing. Roads were wet, and adhesion is best when existing pavement is warm, if not hot.

By coincidence, DePasquale got to see a truck that could provide more than a patch to a pothole.

Pavement Maintenance Inc. of Johnston had just finished patching potholes in the Apponaug Dunkin’ Donuts parking lot when DePasquale got to see the truck, which carries two tons of asphalt and is equipped with a propane-fired heating pad that softens the road surface and pothole. Manned by two, the truck also carries a roller so the work can be done in a single visit.

Mark Pinney, owner of the company, traded business cards with DePasquale. DePasquale was interested whether the company has done work for municipalities and the state, as well as the cost of the equipment and where it can be obtained.

According to one of the operators, the truck is only one of three of its kind in the country.

To report a pothole, call 738-2000, ext. 5700, or visit www.warwickri.gov and fill out the “Report a Pothole” form. Include the name of the street, traffic flow (north, south, etc.), nearby cross streets and landmarks.