While it's easy to file a pothole damage claim, it may be more trouble than it's worth and may increase your insurance rates. After her SUV was damaged, her husband blew a tire on his car at a pothole near Skutt Catholic High School, Levering said. Shes also considering filing a claim with the city but wasnt sure how. The states NMRoads website offers real-time updates on road conditions. Feedback about the website? 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. We would like to show you a description here but the site won't allow us. As potholes proliferate and city hires outside help, less of that help arrives than the city expected. Document the time, date and location of the incident. Omaha, Nebraska In mid-March, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert authorized the payment of claims for vehicle damage caused by potholes, provided claims met specific criteria. But seriously.. People have submitted more than 600 claims for payment of pothole damage costs to the city since Monday afternoon, Mayor Jean Stothert says. Drivers are asked to contact the mayors hotline by emailing hotline@CityofOmaha.org to file a tire claim. Lincoln and both made the list of top U.S. cities for potholes. Tennessee is another four-season state, and as such it suffers all the contributing factors to pothole development. In one Yukon suburb, an anonymous citizen made clear how he thinks potholes are affecting his community. With average winter temps dropping to as much as minus 30 F in some regions and summers rarely cresting 60 F, freeze-thaw cycles in this northern state are brutal. - Pothole complaints: 4.6 for every 1,000 km of road. Contact the Omaha Mayor's Hotline: 402-444-5555. All rights reserved. That was the argument the city successfully used to avoid paying a driver thousands of dollars worth of pothole damage inflicted on his vehicle . So, she and 6 News Bella Caracta walked through the process together last night. For a state with a $4.5 billion budget surplus, one might ask, is there any excuse for Marylanders to be dealing with so many potholes? You don't need an attorney. - Pothole complaints: 2.5 for every 1,000 km of road. Whether you are filing a claim with your insurance or the government, three things are essential: Documentation, documentation, documentation! In other areas, drivers have reported potholes the size of swimming pools. republish under a Creative Commons License, and we encourage you to An April 2021 customer satisfaction survey by the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) showed that more than two-thirds of residents feel WYDOT is doing a good job handling potholes and other lousy road conditions. and more. How Long After an Accident Can You File a Claim? Like us on Facebook to see similar stories Please give an overall site rating . Slaughter managed the water system through the drought of 2011 and 2012, and oversaw planning for acquisition of additional water resources from southeast Oklahoma. The tally continued to fall in 2019 to 16,520 and again in 2020 with 12,500. Plattsmouth breaks ground on new wastewater treatment facility. Local news outlets, including KMTV in Omaha, Nebraska, and WRIC-TV in Richmond, Virginia, have also reported that reimbursement applications are usually denied in their respective cities. After emailing the city our findings, 3 News Now asked how the city could deny someone who appeared to meet all the requirements. Whether you are filing a claim with your insurance or the government, three things are essential: Documentation, documentation, documentation! When a Not-at-Fault Claim Can Raise Your Insurance Costs, What To Do When Someone Scratches Your Car, What to Do if You Crash Into a Car in a Driveway, Car Insurance Claims Questions and Answers, How To Get a Salvage Title Removed on a Vehicle. A recent report from the Reason Foundation put the state 30th in overall highway infrastructure, a slight improvement over its 2019 ranking, but woefully behind where it was as recently as 2016. While this is a staggering figure, it doesnt really punch its weight in terms of how degraded roadways affect the average person. Fortunately, some of the states largest cities, such as Houston, are trying to get ahead of the problem. Omaha is a city located in Douglas County and Sarpy County Nebraska.It is also the county seat of Douglas County.With a 2023 population of 509,178, it is the largest city in Nebraska and the 38th largest city in the United States. I'm basically just permanently a left laner at this point until I have to turn. Claim for $255.73: Rejected. "Governmental Liability for Negligence. According to research going back to 2004, Michigan is in the top three states with the highest number of pothole complaints. After you hit a pothole, check your vehicle for signs of damage. The Claims Agent, under the authority of the City Attorney, oversees all claims processed by the City Claims Department. One recent example was in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, when a Culligan water delivery truck found itself suspended in a 4-foot by 2-foot hole that required the assistance of a tow truck. Its very frustrating, like really frustrating.. You may also like: Major newspaper headlines from the year you were born. In addition to denying 499 claims from 2014 through 2018, the city has rejected another 10 claims in 2019. Mayor Stothert says the potholes must be inside the city's boundaries and the city will not pay for potholes that lie on highways in Omaha such as I-80, I-480 or I-680. World-Herald editorial cartoonist is always on top of the latest news. The transportation departments response: Get ready for more of the same. A driver recently encountered just such a situation on I-85 that resulted in thousands of dollars of damage to his car. storytelling. A September 2021 report from the national transportation research nonprofit TRIP found that 43% of major roads in South Carolina are in either poor or mediocre condition. Omaha checks in at #10 . A day later, shes waiting on the mechanics to check it out. Most potholes form in late winter and early spring when rain or snowmelt freezes overnight however, city crews repair potholes year around. However, several people meeting the basic requirements are being denied for the same reason, Neb. Most recently, 72nd street south of Dodge to Center street and I-80 has had panels of road replaced. More:'All in on Africa's future': Biden announces trade, infrastructure investments in Africa. After receiving those complaints, Sherrets said the city has a duty to fix a pothole. You may also like: Best-run cities in America. Many states require you to provide proof that the road commission knew of the pothole for 30 days or more and did nothing to repair it. Keep reading to see how states stack up according to the complaints of their own drivers. A City of La Vista crew works to patch a stretch of 84th Street between Parkview Boulevard and Brentwood Drive. Note the date and time of the accident. OMAHA, Neb. A stretch of 84th Street between Parkview Boulevard and Brentwood Drive drew a La Vista city crew for patching. Before banana trees, it was cement. The Daily Record If the pothole has been reported, you can then file a claim with the city clerk. The street will close Sunday for an asphalt overlay from West Center Road to Pacific Street. Here are some of Omaha's worst pothole spots, 'We would love your potholes': Welcome to Canyon Road, the worst road in Omaha, Breaking news email signup - What Counts form INLINE, Interstate pothole sidelines four vehicles at once as DOT fights a 'continual battle', Stothert: This is one of Omaha's 'worst pothole seasons,' but help is on the way, Council members weigh in on Omaha's potholes; 'I'm embarrassed about the streets in this city', Omaha closes part of South 144th Street because of rough road conditions, Pothole season is in full swing. Since this city is a major tourist destination, particularly for hikers and naturalists, one may assume a good portion of the complaints are coming from out-of-staters. The Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Codeprevents the Texas Department of Transportation from using state funds to compensate drivers for damage that happened because of highway conditions, such as potholes, said department spokesperson Julien Devereux. Maintain over 3,592 miles of roadways within the city limits. Phone: 402-444-1128. #TheOmahaNews #ThePeopleAreTheStory, UNO Televisions Studio Coordinator, Mark Dail, is retiring next month, watch as he reflects on his 40-year tenure Our job as a city is to repair them in a timely fashion.". The department is devoting more than half of its $16.4 capital budget to maintaining degraded roads and other infrastructure. Like other flyover states, Kansas is also a freight-through state, meaning heavy truck and haul traffic still creates its fair share of potholes. "They are worse than any that I've seen since I was in Omaha or for a lot of people that have lived here there whole lives," said Mayor Stothert. 59 claims have already been filed during the two and a half month period to the mayor's office. The director of public works for the city of Rockford, Illinois, told a local news outletin February 2022, Its not uncommon during winter months to see anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 potholes patched on a monthly basis. And thats just one city among hundreds. Car insurance might be an option; State Farm Insurance markets its coverage by poking fun at potholes in a commercial about the Clark Street Crater. According to the Insurance Information Institute, pothole damage is usually covered if you have collision coverage. One of the top causes for this? However, several people meeting the basic requirements are being denied for the same reason, Neb. State and local governments are responsible for road maintenance and can set their own policies for if and how they reimburse drivers for pothole damage. 222 South 72nd Street, Suite 302 Pothole Repair. They are a ubiquitous occurrence nationwide. She said the citys response is better than its ever been. Crews patched potholes in the street Monday. Fifteen times . You know as far as we put probably the main reason, said Assistant City Attorney Jeff Bloom. Since potholes largely plague asphalt roadswhich Iowa has a sizable number ofthe Iowa Department of Transportation has begun investing in research on the potential of recycled plastics to prolong the lifespan and overall durability of its asphalt roadways. - Pothole complaints: 18.7 for every 1,000 km of road. Perhaps they are letting their fingers do the walking to the states 311 pothole reporting service instead. The work is meant to hold over the street through winter. ", Great Plains Auto Body. The City's Pothole Repair Program, managed by the Public Works Department (PWD) has gone through many changes over the last couple of years that has led to improvements in customer service, increased productivity, and reduced operational costs. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. (KMTV) Mayor Jean Stothert announced Monday afternoon the city of Omaha will be paying for pothole claims on vehicles made against the city between January 1 and March 18 of 2019. You have permission to edit this article. The people are the story. If you go to the city's website, there . (WOWT) - A flat tire, a bent wheel -- damage from a pothole isnt something you want to deal with. It's also worth getting quotes from at least three garages. Like its deep. One reason is that so many local state communitiesamong them Great Falls, Missoula, Bozeman, and Butte-Silver Bowhave established pothole reporting programs to get the pesky tire-hitters filled in almost as quickly as they form. As such, Stacker took a look at data fromThe Clunker Junker to rank every state according to how many pothole complaints are registered on Twitter per 1,000 km, or 621 miles, of road. Boston is among the cities with the most pothole complaints, with an average of 303 anger-venting tweets per 1,000 km of road. Jeanne Levering is one driver whos frustrated. - Pothole complaints: 11 for every 1,000 km of road. Last week was a rough week for repairing potholes with a run of cold, rainy weather. A pothole was reported at the same intersection Paige Peterson hit her pothole nearly two weeks prior. Potholes can cause serious damage to your vehicle. We want them to return home to their friends and family at the end of the day, too.. Whether you are filing a claim with your insurance or the government, documentation is essential. The more permanent fix, Rowser adds, isnt quick. The city needs to step up, she said. Still, Oregon is about to be flush with $400 million in federal funding, about one-quarter of which is expected to be earmarked expressly for addressing problems like potholes. Nonetheless, anticipation is half of preparation, and so NCDOT officials are ready for what it expects to be a spring influx of complaints. we found out 166 people filed claims with the city for pothole damage last year and 116 so far this year. Omaha residents are encouraged to report potholes to the city's Public Works department, the same place they can file damage claims.Drivers who hit a pothole and end up with vehicle damage can get . as well as image rights, data visualizations, forward planning tools, If a pothole damaged your car on an Omaha city street, the mayor said she would pay for it, if it met some basic requirements. Those, coupled with very hot summers, together collude to make a punishing environment for the states asphalt roads. Bloom responded, We have tried to be very cooperative with your questions. With 1.7 million people spread out over nearly 28,000 miles of roadway, its been able to maintain a robust maintenance program on a county-by-county basis. - Pothole complaints: 4 for every 1,000 km of road. It makes me feel sad that we cant trust those kinds of statements that are made by our politicians, said Witt. City Councilman Vinny Palermo, a former city public works employee who represents South Omaha, said he thought the city became liable if it didnt fix a pothole after a certain number of days. - Pothole complaints: 6.5 for every 1,000 km of road. Like New Mexico, South Dakotas Department of Transportation sustains a website for up-to-date road conditions and construction information. 13-910 (12). Then, when the temperature drops again, the water refreezes and . Within a few hours of contacting the city, the pothole was filled in and [I] got my tire fixed, Janine said. - Pothole complaints: 6.9 for every 1,000 km of road. at 23 on the city list. Stacker distribution partners receive a license to all Stacker stories, She had hoped to be reimbursed, but when a reporter told her that the city doesnt pay for damage from potholes, she replied, Of course not.. The Oklahoma communities of Yukon and Piedmont have been up in arms about potholes for some time. The number of pothole complaints around the city is in the hundreds -- but the city says they're patching what they can. Starting today the city had 34 crews on the streets using 300-degree asphalt to hot-patch the streets. Notate the nearest cross street. However, the statute does not define "reasonable amount of time.". Fewer than 40 were paid out. - Pothole complaints: 20.6 for every 1,000 km of road. OMAHA, Neb. By going back in time on omahahotline.com and back through a rough period of winter The World-Herald last week found pothole reports dating to Valentines Day still listed as In Progress.. This island state, despite having fewer roadway miles than any other state per capita, nonetheless has a generally underbuilt road system, which has resulted in one-third of roads being in poor condition. While two complaints per 1,000 km of road might not sound like much, when you consider Delawares size relative to states further up the list, its a significant number. Funnily enough, youd have better luck going to social media for such a glimpse at the raw frustration and inconvenience the common pothole can cause. That vicious clunk, clunk your car makes whenever it hits a pothole.