TOLEDO, Ohio — Workers with the city of Toledo have filled more than 6,000 potholes so far in 2022. Of those 6,000, nearly 600 have come from residents who reported them through Engage Toledo.
While workers continue to fill gaps in the roads, the recent weather changes have made it tricky for crews.
"This weather cycle of constant freeze-thaw is really devastating to the roads. And we probably see it every year when we get these freeze-thaw cycles, but it definitely slows us down when being able to address the potholes," said Doug Stephens, Transportation Director with the city of Toledo.
If your vehicle experiences damage because of a pothole or rough road condition there are steps you can take to try and get compensation.
FOR INTERSTATES:
Across the state, the Ohio Department of Transportation has spent more than 52,000 hours this winter season patching potholes. That required about 3,000 tons of asphalt.
If someone hits a pothole on the highway they are able to file for compensation online. The incident must have as much detail as possible before an investigation can determine if compensation will be given to the driver. This includes the location, time and date of the incident.
Each claim is reviewed and investigated. Once a form is received, the investigation begins locally by determining whether the claim is within ODOT’s maintenance jurisdiction which includes state and US routes outside municipalities and all interstates except the Ohio Turnpike. All claims within ODOT’s maintenance jurisdiction go through the Ohio Court of Claims to determine fault and if restitution will be made.
CITY OF TOLEDO:
It is rare for a driver to get compensation for car damage from a pothole. However, the process starts at the city law department. Similar to filing through ODOT, a driver must have as much detail as possible to file a claim.
"They can reach out, but they'll have to have the date and where and in which direction they were driving, and as much detail as possible if they want to talk to the law department," said Stephens.