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WXYZ Editorial: What you need to know & do during pothole season in Michigan

Potholes
Posted at 4:52 PM, Feb 17, 2022
and last updated 2022-02-17 19:01:10-05

WXYZ DETROIT — Pothole season is upon us and will get worse when we transition from winter to spring. As motorists, there’s not much we can do to prevent the snow and ice melt that’s a part of Michigan’s annual freeze-thaw cycle. But there are things you can do help the reporting and repair process. Drivers are in an excellent position to help be the eyes and ears for road commission experts.

As part of our Getting Around Metro Detroit series, our Action News team has been reporting on the best ways to navigate potholes. We complain about them but rarely take the time to tell authorities where they are located. Local and state road fix-it departments want to hear from you!

On our WXYZ.com website, we have posted several helpful links to resources that make it easy to report the problem areas. We have included information about how to submit a claim for damage done to your tire or vehicle. Also, what laws and timelines you should be aware of and what role your personal insurance plays.

During this busy pothole season, there will be road crews everywhere. Authorities want us to remind you to please give their workers the space they need to patch the roads safely. Distracted driving can be dangerous to those behind the wheel and those outside the passing cars and trucks. And most importantly, if your vehicle becomes inoperable because of a pothole or accident, please use extreme caution as you navigate the situation until help arrives.

I’m Mike Murri, V.P. & General Manager
Broadcast: February 17-20, 2022

To report a pothole problem, here's a list of resources:

For MDOT, reporting a pothole: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9615_30883---,00.html

For MDOT, seeking reimbursement for damage: https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,4616,7-151-9615_30883_85656---,00.html

Report a pothole in Oakland County: https://www.rcocweb.org/184/How-to-Report-Potholes

File a claim in Oakland County: https://www.rcocweb.org/276/File-a-Damage-Claim

To report a pothole and file a damage claim in Wayne County: https://www.waynecounty.com/departments/publicservices/roads.aspx

In Macomb County, motorists can report a pothole here: https://roads.macombgov.org/Roads-Departments-Maintenance
And to try to get reimbursement: https://roads.macombgov.org/Roads-FAQs

In Detroit, start with the Improve Detroitapp.