Pothole Problems Arrive Early For Mass. Drivers
NEWTON (CBS) - New Englanders are all too familiar with the car-wrecking potholes that appear on the roadways every spring. But this year, the nuisances are showing up way ahead of schedule.
"As we drive around the city you can see they're just growing," says Bill Creonte, who owns Creonte Tire and Auto Repair in Waltham. "We'll go by one pothole in the morning and it'll be three inches deep. This afternoon or tomorrow it'll be five inches deep."
The vast temperature swings of recent weeks are to blame for the boom in business there, as melting snow sends water underground. That water freezes and cracks the asphalt, and the process repeats.
"The hot, the cold, the cold, the hot, [it] Creates big potholes," Creonte explains. "And those of us that are unlucky end up running over them."
MassDOT crews are out trying to fill the holes, but they have trouble keeping up with the growing list of problems. State officials ask drivers to report potholes by calling MassDOT at 857-DOT-INFO (857-368-4636), or Toll Free at 877-MA-DOT-GOV (877-623-6846).
In terms of getting reimbursed for damage to your vehicle that was caused by hitting a pothole, you're generally out of luck if you hit one on state highways. The only exception can be if there was an injury involved. But if it happens on a secondary road, check with the city or town where the pothole was, since some have policies to pay at least part of your bill.
