Sure, it's just a PR stunt. But if you'd like to watch Mayor Tom Barrett roll up his sleeves and get dirty, he'll fill potholes with the Department of Public Works Wednesday morning.

After a near-record 100 inches of snow fell this winter in Milwaukee, city streets are pitted and pocked -- and Barrett will join crews on West Montana Street between South 55th and South 58th Streets.

"There's no question that 100 inches of snow have left their mark on our streets," said Barrett. "Now that spring is finally upon us, city crews are working day and night to make the needed repairs."

Pothole fill requests to the city's call center are up more than 100 percent from last year. Through April, approximately 8,310 requests for pothole repairs had been made compared to 4,031 through the same period in 2007.

Barrett and the Common Council have directed approximately $2.85 million of the 2008 Street Maintenance budget to pothole repair. Ninety seasonal employees were hired for all street maintenance and between 20 and 24 two-person crews are out every day, more than double the average of nine to 10 crews for previous years.

Residents and motorists can report potholes to (414) 286-CITY.