Ask Now: Why is toilet paper used in the repair of city streets?

Is there a rumor you've heard that you would like to track down? Is there something in the city — like playground equipment or a pothole — that needs to be fixed? Rick Romano answers some of the mysteries of life in Wauwatosa and helps solve everyday problems.

Why is toilet paper used in the repair of city streets?

Issue: A resident noticed that toilet paper was used in the repair of cracks along a number of blocks and wanted to know why. Specifically, they have seen this along Lloyd Street from 60th to 68th streets, on Martha Washington Drive, and on 67th Street near North Avenue.

Status: Toilet paper is used to help keep tar in the smaller cracks, said Public Works Director Bill Porter. The paper prevents the tar from getting on vehicles traveling over those repaired roads before it hardens.

"The paper dissolves, usually with the next rain," Porter said.

He noted that the road work is part of a cycle of repair and replace that is completed annually in specific city zones. The cycle includes repairing, sealing and eventually replacing roads.

Resurfacing, he said, is done every 40 years, and complete reconstruction is done every 80 years.

"That's the usual life span of a road," Porter said. "That is pretty common in the upper Midwest with our freeze-thaw cycle."

The practice of the city's contractors using toilet paper goes back at least three years, Porter said. A quick Internet search turned up similar repairs in neighboring Minnesota.

Submit your question by sending an email to news@cninow.com.