by Maddy Chemers
Potholes in road pavement can spring up at any time, but especially in the spring. During the winter season, water can seep under the top layer of roads and freeze. As temperatures increase, the ice expands and melts, breaking up the asphalt and creating a nightmare for vehicle tires.
Caitlin O’Malley is a Champaign resident who has only had a car in the area for two months, and already she has dealt with pothole troubles.
O’Malley explained her run-in with a pothole during a routine grocery run. She said, “I hit [the pothole] straight on my left front tire, and I had to drive home that weekend. And I actually had to get it fixed because it severely misaligned my front left tire, according to the people where I got it fixed. That was super annoying.”
Even after taking her car to a mechanic, O’Malley says she is still experiencing issues with her front tire.
“It still isn't lined up perfectly. It could have been from something previous, but it probably was another pothole. Not sure if it was in the Champaign area, but I did I hit that one pretty bad. It's not great for my car.”
To prevent damage to vehicles, both Champaign and Urbana send out teams to fill potholes daily. Kris Koester, the Administrative Service Manager for Champaign Public Works explained that his teams are routinely sent out even more in the winter.
“We are already out proactively trying to stay ahead of them,” Koester continued, “Certain areas that have not had their pavement upgraded in a while will probably show more signs of potholes.”
When new potholes pop up, residents are encouraged to report these to the city in order to get them filled.
Koester said, “There's much more public out there than our staff. Anytime someone sees something, we welcome them to report it to us.”
Residents can report potholes by phone and email to the City of Champaign or by using the “SeeClickFix” app.
Comments