FAQs • Portland, TX • CivicEngage

Can I sweep leaves and grass on to the street for the street sweeper to pick up?: No, you must place this waste in plastic bags. The street sweeper is not designed to remove piles of leaves and debris, and therefore will bypass them. Remember everything that gets thrown in the street goes down the storm drain, which leads directly to the ocean.

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Public Works - Streets & Drainage

1. Who is responsible for street maintenance?: The Street Maintenance Division is responsible for all activities related to street maintenance including street repair, sidewalk repair, traffic painting, sign maintenance, street sweeping and public works inspection.

Street repair includes the patching of potholes, water and sewer street cuts and other damaged areas of city streets. Potholes are a common paving defect and it is important to repair them as soon as possible to maintain a safe and conforming roadway. Quick action can avoid more serious repairs and additional inconvenience to residents. Is there a pothole near you? Let us know about it and we will get it repaired as soon as possible.

2. How do I report a pothole on the street?: Call the Public Works Department at (361) 777-4601. Please provide the nearest street address to the pothole and/or nearest street intersection.

3. There's a big crack in the sidewalk on our street. Who's responsible for repairs?: The Street Division is responsible for repairing public sidewalks in Portland. If you notice a damaged sidewalk, call our Public Works Department at (361) 777-4601. A supervisor will inspect the area and place the damaged location on a schedule.

Due to limited funding, we are only able to repair a limited number of sites every year. Repairs are prioritized by a number of important factors, including the extent of damage and the site's proximity to schools, churches and other public buildings. Of course, especially hazardous sites are repaired immediately.

4. Who is responsible for driveway repairs to private residences and business?: Driveways provide property owners access to city streets. Property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their driveway approaches up to the joint in the street pavement as well as any private parking lots.

5. Can I sweep leaves and grass on to the street for the street sweeper to pick up?: No, you must place this waste in plastic bags. The street sweeper is not designed to remove piles of leaves and debris, and therefore will bypass them. Remember everything that gets thrown in the street goes down the storm drain, which leads directly to the ocean.

6. Where do I report a streetlight or traffic light outage?: Traffic light outages may be reported to the Police Department non-emergency number at (361) 777-4444. Call (877) 373-4858 to report street lights that are out. If you have a pole number or a street address, that makes locating the light much easier.

7. Who is responsible for tree removal and/or trimming?: Most trees (except in city parks) are the property of the property owners so each individual property owner is responsible for their trees, removal and/or trimming. In addition, Code Enforcement is responsible for enforcing city ordinances that pertain to over grown trees into streets and/or easements.

8. Who is responsible for the maintenance of the city storm drains?: The Street Division is responsible for maintaining city owned storm drains. Storm drains are inspected and cleaned on a routine schedule to ensure they are in proper condition. Just before the rainy season, all the drains are checked for clearance. If you see a clogged drain or one that may be obstructed by trash or vegetation, call Public Works at (361) 777-4601.

Please note: Several drains and drainage channels in the city are part of San Patrcio County's system and are maintained by county crews. When you call Public Works, we should be able to tell you if the drain belongs to the city or the county. If the drain belongs to the county, we will notify the county's Maintenance Department of the problem.