Daley warms to the idea of letting KFC fix city's potholes
Mayor Daley on Tuesday warmed to the idea of KFC filling Chicago potholes — even if it means KFC logos on city streets — so long as the fried chicken chain serves up enough gravy.
Last week, Daley’s Lincoln Town Car suffered a flat tire on Pulaski Road after hitting a giant pothole.
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On Tuesday, the mayor upped the ante so many times he sounded like an auctioneer attempting to sell pothole patching to the highest bidder.
“If they give us $25 million or $30 million, we’d be glad to look at it. . . . I want the money up front. I’ll take $50 million if you give me $50 million,” he said.
Asked whether he was opposed to putting corporate logos on Chicago streets, Daley said, “It all depends if they’re ready to give 50, 60, 70, 80 million. There’s a lot of potholes out here.”
He added, “The more salt you put down, the more potholes you’re gonna get. That’s why you have to come up with an alternative, because you’re gonna fix your potholes and, next year, they’re gonna reappear.”
The Chicago Sun-Times reported last week that KFC was offering pothole fixes to five major cities as part of an ad campaign launched in Louisville.
The Chicago Department of Transportation responded by saying it already was negotiating with companies interested in sponsoring pothole repair.
But Commissioner Tom Byrne raised questions about the quality of asphalt KFC intends to use and about the restaurant chain’s plan to put white-stencil ads on some of its pothole fixes. Daley voiced no such concerns, so long as the price is right.
The story about KFC’s offer prompted even more calls to City Hall about potential corporate sponsorship of Chicago pothole repairs.
The avalanche of interest is well-timed. Last winter was another banner season for Chicago potholes, with 250,000 already filled and more to follow with every freeze-and-thaw cycle.
The Laborers Union has agreed to a four-day-a-week, 10-hour-a-day shift to maximize the number of potholes filled while minimizing overtime.