CT Potholes: Readers Sound Off

CONNECTICUT — Potholes in Connecticut can cost motorists hundreds of dollars in repairs

Nearly 250 Connecticut Patch readers told us about their pothole experiences. About 100 readers said they experienced vehicle damage.

Jessica Ramph said she drives on Ward Street in Naugatuck every day. She hit a large pothole about five months ago and knew soon after something was wrong.

“ I immediately knew my car was damaged after hitting the pothole,” she said. “The hole was so deep it broke my rear shock mount.”

It cost Ramph about $300 to repair the damage. Ward Street has gotten worse over the past two years and the road is filled with potholes, cracks and raised patches, she said.

The median price of repairs was about $400 for the readers who told us their vehicle had been damaged. Damage included lost hubcaps, wheel misalignment and destroyed tires. Some readers said their vehicles sustained damage that cost thousands of dollars to repair.

Other readers said they had avoided damage, but were still frustrated.

“I’m always having to swerve around them like an obstacle course,” one reader wrote about potholes on Fairfield Beach Road in Fairfield.

“I avoid the hole {wherever} possible, and drive slowly when the holes are full of water and hard to detect,” a Newtown reader wrote.

“The entire neighborhood knows to avoid this reoccurring pothole,” a Southington reader wrote about a stubborn pothole on Churchill Road in Southington.

Potholes on state roads and highways can be reported to the Department of Transportation using this online form. Potholes on local roads can be reported to town officials, usually through the public works or highway department.

AAA recommends that motorists check their tires for proper tread depth and pressure. Motorists should check tire pressure manually once a month with a quality gauge and when the tires have been at rest. Proper tire pressure had the added benefit of boosting fuel economy.

Motorists should have their vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic if they notice it is handling differently. A car that pulls to the left or right may need an alignment.

Motorists should drive around potholes if it’s safe to do so, according to AAA. Slowing down as much as possible before hitting an unavoidable pothole can lessen the chance of damage, but drivers shouldn’t brake abruptly.