DETROIT (WXYZ) — A dangerous stretch of Gratiot Avenue near I-75 in Detroit has become a costly trap for drivers, with massive potholes destroying tires and leaving motorists with hefty repair bills.
Kyle Sammy learned this the hard way Monday night when he hit a huge pothole that tore his tire beyond repair, costing him $250 for a replacement.
Watch Faraz Javed's video report below:
"There is the cut and because it's so close to the side wall, I will have to get a brand-new tire," Sammy said, showing the damaged tire.
The problem didn't stop there. Within minutes of Sammy's incident, two more vehicles hit the same pothole, suffering similar tire damage.
"Coming off Gratiot to 75 right there, there's a huge pothole. I just hit it, busted my tire over here. Five minutes later, that car that's over there, they busted their tire, and now you got somebody over here that just busted their tire five minutes after them," Sammy said in an Instagram video he posted after the incident.
An investigation of the area revealed multiple large potholes on Gratiot and another by the I-75 service drive. The potholes are particularly dangerous because they're difficult to see when covered with snow and debris.
This isn't Sammy's first encounter with costly pothole damage. Last year alone, he blew out two tires, each costing $250 to replace.
"I'm blessed to be able to go ahead and shell out a $250, but what about mom with, you know, children who can't do things like this? You know, there's a lot of people that aren't necessarily able to afford something like that," Sammy said.
Since the Michigan Department of Transportation manages these roads, MDOT communications representative Diane Cross acknowledged the problem and explained the agency's response process.
"Unfortunately, we do get a lot of that. And driver safety is obviously our number one thing. That's why we work on the roads the way we do," Cross said. "Because of the weather and all the salting and plowing that's been going on, that crews have been busy doing that. But as soon as they get a break, they will get out there and address that pothole."
Cross explained that potholes can develop rapidly under current conditions. Potholes can be created in a single day, with all it takes being one vehicle going over a weak spot on the road.
The extreme winter weather is the primary culprit behind the pothole epidemic, according to 7 First Alert meteorologist Mike Taylor.
"Usually when we're talking about potholes, it's something that we think about in the freeze-thaw cycle once we get closer to early spring. We're dealing with this kind of early because it's been cold for so long, it's literally breaking down the asphalt," Taylor said.
Taylor explained that extreme cold hardens asphalt, making roads brittle and prone to cracking under repeated vehicle traffic. When repair crews patch potholes with asphalt, the material can break apart again, creating voids that damage vehicles.
"We're getting reports all over metro Detroit," Taylor said.
Sammy hopes MDOT will increase attention to problem areas, particularly during winter months.
"Specifically in the wintertime, that they can pay a little bit more attention to these other areas of the city," Sammy said.
Cross acknowledged the challenge of monitoring every mile of roadway.
"I understand that as a driver myself. Would we love to be able to do that? We would. We have people on the roads all the time. We just don't have somebody driving every inch of every mile of every roadway. It's just not financially feasible," Cross said.
Drivers can report potholes directly to MDOT for the fastest response to repairs. Drivers can also file a complaint on MDOT's website. You can call MDOT's Pothole Hotline at 888-296-4546.
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