LORAIN, Ohio — It’s a driver’s least favorite time of year – pothole season. If you think the roads this year seem especially precarious, you can thank Mother Nature.
“A lot of it is the freeze and thaw. That will just anhiliate your roads. And unfortunately that’s what we’re getting all winter long,” said Lori Garcia, the director of Lorain’s Public Property Department.
The city has been busy fielding complaints and patching roads at every opportunity.
Some neighbors tell News 5 they’ve even named the unwelcome holes dotting their streets.
“We call it the ‘Dip of Edgewood,’” laughed Willie Perez. “It’s like a moon crater.”
He pointed out that a section of Edgewood Drive had been repaired after a summertime water main break. This winter, he said, the patched sections have been getting worse.
“I see people hitting this dip and you see parts and hubcaps. I’ve been picking up hubcaps and throwing them away,” he said.
Perez’s vehicle incurred unexpected damage from the potholes near his neighborhood.
“I took it in for an oil change,” he explained. “And they said, ‘Hey, you need a front-end alignment and you even need shocks.’ And I’m like, ‘What?’”
Mechanics said they’ve been busy fixing the seasonal damage.
“These are your ball joints. These are what can get pretty messed up. And your wheel bearings inside your knuckle here,” said Pallens Auto Concepts mechanic Isaac Payne, pointing out parts commonly damaged by potholes.
He explained some potholes can cause more dramatic problems.
“That Chrysler 200 just snapped the shaft straight in half, bent the tire rod,” he recalled about a recent customer. “Everything on that car was messed up from one pothole, supposedly.”
The Public Property Department has heard various complaints over the conditions of Lorain’s roads.
“This is the most frustrating season,” Garcia said. “It’s a vicious cycle.”
She explained the department can receive dozens of calls and complaints submitted through an app daily.
Other grievances are less subtle. One neighbor shared a photo with News 5 of a cheeky sign planted in a pothole on Tower Boulevard. Street crews quickly took notice and filled the large crater.
“You could’ve just picked the phone but that’s OK,” laughed Garcia. “It was big.”
She said her crews have been repairing potholes most days when the weather cooperates. This season, they’ve gone through an average of 8-10 tons daily.
Temperature swings and precipitation have made this winter especially challenging.
“Those same potholes we filled this week are going to be open next week because of this weekend’s storm. And there’s nothing we can do about it,” Garcia said.
She explained that the department prioritizes main roads and bigger safety concerns before smaller side streets, and she asks for patience as the crews make their way through the city.
