Report Potholes

If you notice a pothole, report it so that the government can fix it. Note some key information about the pothole so that the workers can find the spot easily. Then, make sure you contact the right government transportation agency as soon as you can. Determine which agency is in charge of the road, and contact the city, state, or county government.

Steps

Noting Information About the Pothole

  1. Pay attention to the name of the road with the pothole. Just write down the name of the road you were traveling on. If you can’t remember what the road’s name was, look at a map online and retrace your route to help you remember which road you were on.[1]
    • If you don’t know which road the pothole was on, you won’t be able to report it.
  2. Remember the nearest mile marker, cross road, or street address. Some roads, like interstate highways, have mile markers which can help you identify where on the highway you are. For other roads, like city roads, identify the part of the road by the nearest cross street and street address.[2]
    • If you’re on a highway, you can also note the nearest exit or interchange instead of the cross road.
  3. Note the direction of traffic and the lane. It won’t help to say the pothole was on the right or left side of the road, because those directions change based on where you are. Instead, record whether it was on the east-bound, north-bound, etc. side of the road. If the pothole was on a street with multiple lanes in each direction, note which lane, for example, the right lane, left lane, or the middle lane.[3]
    • If you’re afraid you won’t remember this information, pull over by the side of the road and write it down.
  4. Mind the time and date when you noticed the pothole. Noting when exactly you noticed the pothole is helpful for the government body in charge of fixing the pothole. That way, if someone reports a pothole they noticed months ago that’s already been fixed, the government won’t waste their resources going to look at it again.[4]
    • You don’t have to remember the exact minute when you saw the pothole, but it’s best if you remember the hour.

Contacting the Right Office

  1. Tell the city government for city roads. If the road with a pothole is within city limits, the city is in charge of maintaining it. If you’re not sure whether or not the road was within city limits, look it up on a map. Look up the name of your city and the words “report a pothole” to find out how to report a pothole. Some cities have a number to call, an online reporting system, or an app.[5]
    • They will ask you for the information you recorded about the pothole, so make sure you have it on hand.
  2. Visit the state department of transportation website for state and interstate routes. The name of the road will have the word “state,” “interstate” or “US” proceeding it. Each state department of transportation has its own procedure for reporting a pothole, so visit the website to find out how to contact them.[6]
    • Depending on your state, they may have different forms of contact available, like an online form, phone number, or email address.
  3. Use the county government website for county roads. By process of elimination, if the road is outside city limits and not a state or interstate highway, it is a county road. Check a map if you’re not sure whether the road is within city limits. Many county roads will have the name of the county on the road sign. Look up the name of the county to find their website, where you can find a form, email address, or phone number to call to report a pothole.[7]
    • If you’re still not sure whether it’s a county or state road, you can also report the pothole to both, and whichever government is in charge will deal with it.

Tips

  • If your car was damaged by the pothole, you can file a Claim for Damages after you report the pothole.
  • If the pothole was on your own driveway, you don’t have to report it. You can fix it yourself with asphalt filler.
  • If there is a road emergency, like a tree that fell across the road, you should call emergency services.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.dot.state.mn.us/information/potholes/reporting.html
  2. ↑ https://sfpublicworks.org/services/potholes
  3. ↑ https://www.in.gov/indot/3221.htm
  4. ↑ https://csr.dot.ca.gov/
  5. ↑ https://sfpublicworks.org/services/potholes
  6. ↑ https://youtu.be/mYBPIQN9IRo?t=85
  7. ↑ https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/TPW/Roads/Services/Road-Maintenance/Pot-Holes-and-Pavement-Repair/
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