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Potholes Double In 2018 From Recent Years

Posted at 6:28 PM, Mar 17, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-17 19:28:39-04

They're answering the call in a neighborhood near you, and lately, it's more often than usual.

"A whole lot more!" said foreman Randy Madden.

Madden and his crew with Metro Public Works spend their days patching potholes.

They use what's called a hot mix to fill the holes and tamp down on it until they get a tight fit.

"You're constantly getting in and out watching traffic," Madden said.

Ten minutes later they're on to the next one. These days, it's not unusual for crews to see 75 potholes and up to six hours of overtime.

"It's a challenge, but you know we're up for it," Madden said.

Last year from January to mid-March, Metro reported 5,700 potholes, which staff said was on track with years past. However, this year that number more than doubled to 11,715.

TDOT also reported spending double the amount on pothole patching this year in the region that covers Middle Tennessee: $1,245,473 compared with $516,655 in fiscal year 2017.

You can thank the weather.

"It has a whole lot to do with the rain, and keep in mind, this February was the third wettest ever that Nashville has ever seen," said NewsChannel 5 Senior Meterologist Lelan Statom.

When it rains, water seeps down into the roadway. When the water freezes, it expands and causes cracks which can create holes as cars drive over them, and unfortunately, it's not over yet.

"There are some rain chances in for tonight, tomorrow night, and off and on next week," Statom said.

Which means this crew will keep going, six days a week if need be.

"I don't want nobody to fall in no pothole whether they be jogging or mess up their tire or anything, so I feel like we do a lot," Madden said.

To report a pothole in Metro Nashville, dial 311 or go to hub.nashville.gov. To report a pothole to TDOT, call 615-350-4300.