As any cyclist in the District can tell you, there really isn’t anything much worse than the rough, potholed pavement that dots many of the city’s main traffic arteries. From the jarring jolts to the inevitable pinch flats, crappy roads make cycling in the city a holy pain.

Rejoice then, fellow cyclists, because the District Department of Transportation has announced $41 million in road, sidewalk, and alley repairs to take place through 2008 and into 2009. If you follow that link, you’ll find a few PDFs containing handy lists of repairs to take place in every ward; peruse the lists to make sure your most hated pothole or broken stretch of sidewalk is slated for an overhaul. Thankfully, my biggest cycling headache — Massachusetts Avenue NW climbing from the Dupont Circle area to the Cathedral — was recently re-paved, just in time for Pope Benedict XVI’s visit. (The Holy See’s embassy and residence, where the pope bunked, is on Massachusetts Avenue across from the Naval Observatory. Even DDOT didn’t want to piss off God.)

If they missed anything, remember this — DDOT is supposed to respond to complaints about potholes within 72 hours. If they don’t, be fearful of the residents who believe in DIY pothole repair. If all else fails, let us know. We have a pretty great track record of getting the nastiest of potholes repaired, and fast.