COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- Here in Ohio, we are familiar with potholes in the roadways. Potholes can cause a lot of damage to your car and cost you money.
Employees at Wheel Medic in Columbus say there used to be a pothole season, but it’s pretty much all year round these days. “A lot of the wheels aren’t even fixable anymore,” says office manager Hannah Moore. “The roads are rough, and wheels are bigger, tires are rubber bands, and they just get you.”
If you do run into a pothole, Moore says good tire pressure is your best defense. But the best way to avoid damage is to avoid potholes altogether. “Just not tailgating the person in front of you because if someone hits a pothole in front of you, you’ve got at least enough time to slow down or stop, and just pay attention. Get off your cell phone,” says Moore.
So far in 2023, the city of Columbus has filled nearly 42,000 potholes. “We are proactive. This past weekend for instance, we had crews come in just on Saturday just to specifically work on potholes,” says Charles Newman, a public relations specialist for the City of Columbus Department of Public Service. “When you look at our work capacity, within one day back on Saturday, we filled 950 potholes.”
Newman says they focus immediate attention on main roads, and they typically get to residential roads within six days. But sometimes he says the city has no idea there is a pothole on a neighborhood street. “When you see a pothole, report it. Most people think it’s already been reported and nine out of ten times it hasn’t,” says Newman.
To report a pothole to the city of Columbus, call 311 or contact the Department of Public Service online.
