Waterlogged, Pothole-Plagued Doty Avenue Has Drivers Flipping Out
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Drivers navigating Doty Avenue on the city's Far South Side have been stuck dealing with waterlogged craters, and worse.
For months, parents trying to get their kids to cheer practice using the road asked for help. On Thursday night, we sent CBS 2's Jermont Terry to check things out.
At Chicago Storm All Star Elite, cheerleaders have mastered the art of flipping. But it's their parents who are flipping out – because their cars keep getting damaged trying to get here.
The cheer team trains at their gym at 12002 S. Doty Ave.
"We don't do gymnastics – we strictly do cheer," said gym owner Marquel Qaiyim.
And that requires the squad to show up often.
"It's all-year-round cheerleading," said parent Lorna English.
Yet, there is nothing to cheer about when you take a look at the road out front. Cars creep slowly on South Doty Avenue, which runs alongside the Bishop Ford Freeway, from 115th Street to below 120th street.
The street is riddled with potholes, and the craters are hidden under standing water.
"Coach Marcus had to come and literally change my tire on Doty Road at least twice," Said Crystal Hobbs-Clark.
Parents have documented the damages, and there's no way to avoid it.
"Somebody needs to do something, because it doesn't make any sense," English said. "People have to use this way and it's a business here, and I think they need to fix it."
Images from over the years show the problems on Doty Avenue are not new.
"Five years plus, easily," Qaiyim said.
Qaiyim said some parents are even refusing to come back to his gym.
"Parents (are) getting stuck in ditches," he said.
The Chicago Department of Transportation said Doty Avenue receives "a lot of attention" for patch work. But CDOT also said also said because the road is next to some wetlands, it does not drain well – adding that they will fix the potholes when water dries up.
"Our issue now is that the winter's coming, and that's going to turn into a sheet of ice," Qaiyim said.
As the cheerleaders continue to compete for competition, we will stay on top of the city to see when and if they get out to Doty Avenue.
