MEMPHIS, Tenn. — They’re your car’s worst enemy and they’re popping up all over town.
Potholes are always a problem, but they’ve gotten worse because of recent freezing weather.
In southeast Memphis, potholes are everywhere. Residents say Riverdale Road is especially bad.
Delvin Fitzpatrick recently had to get a tire replaced after driving over a pothole. It cost him $60, which isn’t too bad considering some tires can cost over $100.
“You have to be very careful and make sure you’re looking at the road as you’re going down the street,” he says.
Carleesha Robinson just got a new car. Her old one got damaged by potholes all the time.
“Like I always have to get new tires and stuff, and a lot of work done,” she says.
Her new car has yet to take a hit, but she figures it’s only a matter of time.
“Not yet. Soon, I probably will,” she says.
The city says pothole crews have been doubled and says over 8,000 potholes have been filled since the recent icy weather. The city will also spend more money on repaving streets this year, something that can’t be done unless potholes are fixed.
Fitzpatrick is glad to hear the issue is being addressed. Like his $60 tire, he says pothole-related car repairs add up.
“Yeah, they really do, especially if you have a family that you have to care of, and all these different expenses do add up a lot,” he says.
The city said on Monday that crews have filled more than 8,000 potholes in the past 30 days. That comes out to hundreds per day.
POTHOLE UPDATE: Since January 12, we’ve filled 8,007 potholes. Thank you to our Public Works employees for all of their hard work.
You can help by reporting potholes to 311 — either by calling 311, visiting https://t.co/v3GJ26xrHQ or using the Memphis 311 app on your phone.
— City of Memphis (@CityOfMemphis) February 12, 2018
Crews really seem to be filling them fast too.
Monday, we went all over town to check on several potholes viewers told us about over the weekend. By the time we got to them, they were fixed.
As always, the city asked that you call 311 to report a pothole.
► How to report a claim to the state for pothole damage