INDIANAPOLIS — As of Wednesday afternoon, Indiana Department of Transportation officials said they were dealing with 132 reports of open potholes across the state, 58 of which are in the Greenfield district covering Indianapolis, meaning a lot of Hoosier drivers are waiting on potholes to be filled along their commute routes.
A FOX59/CBS4 crew hit the road and went hunting for potholes. It found a handful of potholes along Interstate 465 on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
“I see potholes on 65 as well,” said driver LaTonya Turner. “I’m always trying to duck and dodge them.”
Every Hoosier driver knows to keep an extra eye out this time of year.
“I actually have gotten a flat from hitting a pothole the wrong way,” Turner said.
INDOT Public Relations Director Gary Brian said it’s difficult for crews to forecast exactly where potholes might appear.
“When we have a weather system like we’ve had or a winter like we’ve had, these potholes will just form over time as they break down,” said Brian. “So, a road that may have been clear yesterday may be different today.”
Brian said older roads are naturally the first to crack, as water seeps more easily beneath the surface, then goes through the freeze-thaw cycle.
“But it doesn’t mean that we don’t have that issue when we have rains like we just had, where we’re talking about generational rain, Brian said. “That’s going to impact everything.”
Brian said crews are working to address each reported pothole as quickly as they can with their fast-mix asphalt to avoid impacting travel when possible.
“There’s an occasional pothole, but for the most part, you know where the roads are bad already,” said driver Tom Heath. “I haven’t noticed any really major potholes.”
As always, INDOT indicated that driving distraction-free is the best way to prevent cars from getting damaged by potholes.
“This is why we always say to buckle up, put your phone down,” Brian said. “Because you want to have your eyes on the road so you can see the potholes coming. Why you want to be doing the speed limit? Because those limits are in place to have you have enough time to react to roadside hazards. And that includes potholes.”
To report a pothole on an interstate or state road, you can visit INDOT’s online report portal.
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