We’re keeping our fingers crossed, but, so far, Lawrence streets appear surprisingly pothole-free.

Nearly two feet of snow has melted this year, leaving a lot of puddles in its wake, but it seems that not as many of those puddles are camouflaging potholes on Lawrence streets.

There are noticeably fewer potholes, those gouges in the roadway caused by snow plows, moisture, freezing cold then warming temperatures. Sure, potholes are out there — the city reports it fixed more than 400 potholes last week — but it’s not like last year.

Officials say sustained cold weather eliminated some of the freeze-and-thaw cycles that cause potholes, but part of the credit for the improved condition of Lawrence streets also may be attributable to the city’s purchase of a $168,000 piece of equipment that allows road crews to spray a chip seal-like substance into potholes. The method, which is used by the Kansas Department of Transportation and other larger cities in the state, is faster, requires fewer workers and provides a longer-lasting fix.

So far, it seems like a good investment.

Now, if we could just do something about the potholes in private parking lots.