Crews busy repairing potholes caused by constant rainfall

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the last six weeks, Charlotte city crews have received more than 500 requests to repair potholes. Some of the potholes are causing hundreds of dollars’ worth of damage to cars.

“$800 is a lot of money for a lot of people,” said Daniel Morales, whose vehicle was damaged by a pothole.

He will have to buy at least a new tire rim after hitting a pothole on Interstate 277.

“I’ve noticed, personally, potholes everywhere in the city lately,” Morales said.

He’s not the only one. Morales owns the wheel repair shop, M Works. He told Eyewitness News anchor Liz Foster his business has received 25 percent more calls in the last couple of months because of vehicle damage from potholes.

[City could be responsible for repairs to vehicles due to damage from potholes]

The number of requests for Charlotte city crews to repair potholes has more than doubled in the last six weeks, compared with the same period one year ago. Between Feb. 1 and March 12, the city received 534 requests to repair potholes. One of the reasons because of the large amount of rainfall, city crews said.

A city spokesperson said crews repair emergency potholes within 24 hours of being notified and the remainder of requests within five days. But one resident in west Charlotte told Channel 9 it has been two weeks since she reported one on her street.

“It’s very frustrating,” she told Channel 9.

Channel 9 crews saw several spots where it appears potholes had just been repaired, including one in a construction area that caused $2,300 in damage to Manny Sweat’s vehicle.

“The suspension is messed up on it,” Sweat said. “Both wheels, both tires.”

It’s been three weeks since that happened. Sweat said he’s still waiting to find out if the claim he filed will be approved by the contractor responsible for construction in the area of the pothole he hit.

“At this point, I’m not even sure if I’m going to be reimbursed, you know. It’s still up in the air,” Sweat said. “If I’m not reimbursed, I’m not giving up the fight if (it has) to come out of my pocket, because $2,300 is a lot of money for a pothole.”

If your car is damaged because of a pothole, you can file a claim with the city or state, depending on which entity maintains the road. Foster learned over the last three years, the city of Charlotte has received an average of 69 pothole-related claims a year and has paid out on three or five each year.

Charlotte residents who would like to report a pothole are encouraged to call 311 or report it online.

All potholes on state-maintained streets should be reported to NCDOT.

Cox Media Group