PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Potholes are emerging across the region as this bitter winter weather continues, prompting PennDOT to begin road repairs, and warn drivers to be patient as crews work to address the damage.
Chopper 6 video showed repair crews working along I-95 in Philadelphia’s Holmesburg and Wissinoming sections as crews patched craters forming on the highway on Monday.
PennDOT officials say pothole season is underway across the Delaware Valley, driven by the rapid freeze-thaw cycles typical this time of year.
PennDOT says it is already seeing a high demand for repairs.
“Mid-January, we already had 900 pothole-related reports. So, be patient. There’s a lot of work to do out there,” said Helen Reinbrecht of PennDOT.
While crews work to patch roads, local auto repair shops are also busy.
Jim Sullivan, owner of Jim’s Auto Service in Roxborough, says his shop often fills up quickly during pothole season as drivers deal with damage to their vehicles.
“We’ll have customers come in with blown tires, cracked rims, front-end damage. Whether it’s tire, rods, ball joints,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan noted that repairs can take longer when drivers choose to file insurance claims.
“It takes days to get something approved and repaired. And the damage can be quite substantial,” he said.
PennDOT oversees about 40,000 miles of roadway and 25,000 bridges across the state and relies on drivers to report potholes as they appear. Officials are also asking motorists to slow down and give repair crews room to work.
“We will keep working at this until every area is addressed. And we just asked for the public’s help in reporting potholes and their patients as we get to their roadway,” Reinbrecht said.
Crews say repairs will continue as long as winter conditions allow, with officials urging drivers to report hazards and use caution on damaged roads.
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