TAYLOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — A quick trip to pick up dinner turned into a costly headache for a Taylor driver Wednesday night after exposed construction spikes shredded his tire on Goddard Road.
Watch Randy's story in the video player below:
Tyler King was driving near Telegraph Road when he hit a patch of metal plates covering utility work in the roadway.
"You could hear a big pop and all the air whooshing or rushing out," King said. "It was the last sound I wanted to hear."
At issue are heavy-duty railroad spikes used to anchor steel plates over open trenches. Drivers in the area reported that several of the metal spikes were sticking up inches out of the pavement, creating an unseen hazard for passing traffic.
For King, the blowout comes at an unwelcome time.
"It's pretty irritating," King said. "I don't need to tell anybody about how tight money is these days or how expensive things are, so having to spend probably a minimum of $100 just to get a new tire and have it put on my car is not exactly in the budget this month."
'Two shredded tires in a five-minute window'
After pulling into a nearby gas station to put on his spare, King quickly realized he wasn't the only victim of the exposed spikes.
"When I was taking off my tire... there was a blue SUV that did the exact same thing," King recalled. "I heard the exact same sound like all the air leaving. They did the same thing, hung around on Telegraph, and pulled in."
That made two shredded tires at the same location within just five minutes.
City Councilman steps in to block hazard
Concerned about the dangerous road conditions, King's wife posted about the incident on Facebook. The post caught the attention of Taylor City Councilman Gerald Thomas late Wednesday night.
"So I got out of bed, got dressed, came over here, and I put cones over the spikes until they could come out here and correct the problem in the morning," Thomas said.
Thomas explained that contractor Miller Pipeline installed the spikes and steel plates while working on a gas line project along Goddard Road. After learning about the tire damage, the city engineer contacted the job site foreman to address the situation.
According to Thomas, the contractor is taking responsibility for the damage caused to the King family's vehicle.
"So Miller Pipeline is going to be reimbursing that family — as far as I know, yes, absolutely," Thomas said.
Furthermore, the city is changing how contractors secure metal plates in active work zones going forward.
"I was told by the city engineer that going forward they're going to use asphalt instead of railroad spikes to secure those metal plates," Thomas added.
What to do if your car was damaged
7 News reached out to Miller Pipeline for comment on the incident but has not yet received a response.
If you suffered tire or wheel damage after driving over the steel plates on Goddard Road near Telegraph on Wednesday night, Councilman Gerald Thomas encourages you to reach out directly to his office gthomas@cityoftaylormi.gov.
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