Python 5000 puts bite on potholes

The innovative vehicle is being deployed by a handful of US councils  overwhelmed with the cost of patching up holes in the road. New York has  just released a Python in a bid to save time and money. The Python 5000 is a self-propelled pothole-patching machine.

Instead of deploying a team of workers to secure an area, prepare the  area, add the bitumen and compact it, the Python 5000 is designed to do it all with just one worker. In typical American style, operating this machine requires very little effort and the driver can fix the pothole without leaving the comfort of  the cabin.

Python Manufacturing says its invention means a standard pothole can be  repaired in just two minutes. The Python has an extendible hydraulic powered arm on the front that does all the work.

It features a high-pressure air-hose, which the driver uses to blast any  dust and other loose material out of the pothole. The operator is then able to spray a sticky material into the pothole,  before pouring in the asphalt mix.

It is able to use hot and cold bitumen and is able to warm up cold  bitumen as well. The arm then compresses the bitumen and the pothole is  history. Python says its machine offers clear visibility for the driver and can  also be driven to and from jobs at highway speeds.

New York mayor Michael Bloomberg says the city is always looking for  more efficient ways to keep its roads in good condition and decided to  give the Python 5000 a go.

"We're debuting new technology to repair city streets faster, while  closing less lanes to traffic," Bloomberg says. If it works in New York, expect the Python 5000 to become a much more  common sight.