Beware Of These Nasty Route 9 Potholes: Photos

FRAMINGHAM, MA — If you stand at the corner of Route 9 and Dinsmore Avenue in Framingham long enough, you'll get a shower of puddle water, asphalt, and dirt. As cars speed by, some slam into a nasty pothole that's opened near the intersection, spraying filth all over the place — and, you can assume, damaging some vehicles.

It's not even the first day of winter yet (that's Saturday, Dec. 21) but deep potholes have already started to widen along a busy stretch of Route 9 between Framingham and Natick. Many of the worst ones are in the far right lane heading eastbound — and they've only gotten worse with recent snow and ice storms.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Patch walked the length of Route 9 searching for the deepest, most bone-shaking potholes. Here are some areas to avoid on your commute:

• Dinsmore and Route 9, right before the Thomasville Furniture complex
• The stretch in front of Uncle Cheung's, right before the Dinsmore pothole
• Route 9 in Natick in front of the Christmas Tree Shops plaza
• Worcester Street in Natick between Bernardi Honda and Route 27

The good news is that MassDOT operates a pothole hotline and will come fix these blights. Call 857-DOT-INFO (857-368-4636) or 877-623-6846 to report a pothole if you have an unfortunate run-in. And if your car was damaged by a pothole along a state road, you can file a claim on the MassDOT website.

A pothole just west of Uncle Cheung's in Framingham.

A Mercedes sails over a deep pothole outside Bernardi Honda in Natick.

Another view of a truck hitting the Dinsmore pothole in Framingham.

A car heads east from Concord Street in Framingham right toward a pothole.

Another shot of the Dinsmore pothole, just for good measure.