Crews Work to Repair Numerous Potholes After Winter Storms

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Snow and ice are gone, but city workers are busy with another road hazard.

Hundreds of potholes across the metro are causing problems for drivers, including vehicle damage.

"I have nearly doubled the number of workers assigned to potholes," said Oklahoma City Unit Operations Supervisor Tim Ishmael. "We are getting more than 100 complaints a day and our crews are working as fast as they can to fix them."

Inside Rock Angel Boutique, business is good, but outside, things are bumpy, literally. Potholes on North Pennsylvania Avenue nearly outnumber the dresses in the shop. The owner of Rock Angel Boutique said he knows that first hand. Last week a huge hole damaged his car.

"It's kind of like hitting a curb going 30 miles per hour. You feel it. It goes 'pow'. A loud noise," said Muhammad Syed, owner of Rock Angel Boutique.

His tire was flat and his wheel was bent.

Unfortunately, Syed's story is very common. Across Oklahoma City, hundreds of potholes have popped up in the past few weeks, and the rough winter is being blamed.

"As the water penetrates the cracks at night, it goes in to freeze, the water expands, it pushes the pavement up, and after a couple of cycles you have a pothole sitting there," said Tim Ishmael, with the City of Oklahoma City.

Ishmael said it has been good that people are calling in to complain about the potholes around the city. He said the sooner they know about a pothole, the quicker it can be covered.

Money has also been a concern for the city. It costs around $15 to fill every pot hole, and if they're filling hundreds a day.

Back at the boutique, Syed said he plans to file a damage claim with the city since there was knowledge of the hole prior to him hitting it. But for now, he said he is just happy to finally see the progress of crews on North Penn.

To report a pothole in Oklahoma City call the pothole hotline at 405-631-1111.