Dodging potholes has become part of the daily commute for many drivers across southeast Michigan, especially this time of year. We asked you to tell us about some of the worst potholes in your area. Now, the big question is, how do we get them repaired?
Watch Carli's report below
Watch our previous coverage: Where are the worst potholes in metro Detroit?
Whether you're dodging them or you don't see them until it's too late, potholes can be a pain this time of year. Crews with the Road Commission for Oakland County are out patching trouble spots.
I met a crew on Greenfield Road in Southfield, but they say this is just a temporary fix. Devereaux Irving said with weeks of winter still ahead, they'll be back out again.
“With the salt and the blading that we do, it tears the roadways up, so we will be out here quite a few more times before the end of winter," Irving said.
And with all the potholes all over southeast Michigan, we asked you to tell us about some of the worst potholes in Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland Counties. The first stop: Mound and 9 Mile in Warren.
The turn lane here is so filled with potholes that some drivers avoid it altogether.
Over in Wayne County, I met resident Melanie Mills. She commented on our post about all the potholes on Lundy Parkway in Dearborn.
“I wasn’t fibbing, you know I said it on the Facebook post that it was like a minefield, you know," she told me.
Mills used to take this road to get to the gym. Now, she takes a different route.
“Would be nice to be able to drive down this street without having to dodge potholes," Mills said.
In Oakland County, Elizabeth Williams said Mt. Vernon Street in Southfield has been in rough shape for years.
“My main concern is going in a pothole, and they damage my tires," Williams said.
But according to the Oakland County Road Commission, not all roads fall under their control; Mt. Vernon is a city street. When it comes to county roads, spokesperson Craig Bryson said safety comes first.
“Safety dictates that we hit the roads with the most traffic, traveling at the highest speeds first," Bryson said.
“It seems from an outsider's point of view that potholes are really bad, but I guess you’re saying, in Oakland County, it’s been worse," I followed up with.
“It’s been far worse," Bryson replied. "Ten years ago, it was significantly worse. In the last seven or eight years, we resurfaced about 700 miles of roads. On all those roads, we’re not patching potholes frequently anymore. It’s the ones we haven’t gotten to, but there are far fewer of those today.”
And Bryson said more resurfacing projects are planned. In the meantime, if you spot a dangerous pothole, call the road commission hotline at 877-858-4804. Until then, drivers may just have to try and keep it slow.
If you know of a pothole you'd like us to check out, you can submit your area
