SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Drivers on a stretch of 10 Mile Road in Southfield are dealing with a seemingly endless series of bumps that make the road feel like a roller coaster, leaving many concerned about potential damage to their vehicles.
The problematic section of 10 Mile Road before Lahser Road has become a source of frustration for daily commuters who describe the driving experience as unstable and jarring.
Watch Evan Sery's video report:
"It makes you feel like the road is unstable," said Tracy Spencer, who lives in Oak Park and has been driving on this stretch for years.
Spencer initially thought the problem might be with her vehicle.
"I thought it was something wrong with my tires — I just got brand new tires, maybe I need to take them back," Spencer said.
But the issue isn't with drivers' vehicles. Andrea Taylor, who lives in Southfield, described the experience as being "like I'm on a roller coaster."
Scientific explanation for the bumps
Nishantha Bandara, a transportation and pavement professor at Lawrence Technological University, which is located on 10 Mile Road, provided a scientific explanation for the road conditions.
"What is happening here, you have older roads, you have cracks on the road surface, water penetrates through the cracks," Bandara said.
Web extra: Take a ride down 10 Mile to see the pavement conditions
The former Michigan Department of Transportation engineer explained that the problem worsens during winter months when water underneath the cracks freezes and expands.
"Because of the ice underneath the road surface, it takes more space and so its expansion comes as bumps at the crack location. That's why you see these things," Bandara said. "I feel that in the winter time actually. It's getting worse, this bumpiness in the road."
County response and future plans
The Road Commission for Oakland County sent someone to inspect the section after being contacted about the issue. A spokesperson provided a statement explaining the situation. The statement reads:
"This is the sealer that was placed in seams on the road pushing out for some reason. May be water in the road that has frozen and expanded. Bottom line is there is nothing we can do about this, but it may well resolve on its own as temperatures rise."
The road commission added that the entire section of 10 Mile Road is expected to be reconstructed in 2027.
For drivers like Spencer, the wait feels too long given the importance of the roadway.
"It's quite frustrating because the money is supposed to go to the roads. Kids travel that road, schools travel that road," Spencer said.
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