“We’ve got the solution,” Wadensten said Wednesday. “And I was thinking why can’t Rhode Island be the first state to have pothole-free streets.”

The vibrating rollers, which are pushed like a lawnmower, smooth over the asphalt patching material that makes up a cold patch and compresses it to such a degree that it is just about as good as a permanent fix, said Linda Kleineberg, chief of marketing for VIBCO, located in Richmond.

She said that as of late Wednesday, 14 municipalities had taken Wadensten up on his offer for the vibratory rollers, which sell for about $2,000 each.

A member of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation (which until recently was known as the Economic Development Corporation), Wadensten is not shy about his desire to see the state work more efficiently and effectively.

“When people visit here and drive roads that are pothole free, it shows that we care about our roads and we care about our people,” he said.

A regular on WPRO talk radio, Wadensten is easy to pick out in a crowd.

He is almost always chomping on an unlit cigar and sometimes shows up in a combat helmet to show that he is serious about his “war on waste.”

He said that VIBCO’s rollers have been used for years by municipalities in other states — including New York City — as a cost-effective way to patch potholes.

“This isn’t just about throwing some of our machines at a problem,” Kleineberg said. “It’s about changing opinions of how that road work is done and the value of the work.”