RI roads riddled with potholes

Potholes damaging RI'ers vehicles

Updated: Monday, 24 Jan 2011, 5:54 PM EST
Published : Monday, 24 Jan 2011, 5:53 PM EST

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Roads around Southern New England are plagued by potholes.

This winter's snow, ice & freezing temperatures are a perfect storm that has caused streets to quickly deteriorate.

On Valley Street in Providence's West End, potholes are forcing drivers to swerve to avoid damaging their cars.

"They are full of water until you get up on them, then the tires hit and they sink in," Albert Latour of Latour Auto Body told us Monday.

One small pothole could cause damage that costs big bucks to repair.

"It could be up to $500 to $800 range," Latour said.

Potholes are a fact of life on New England roads.

The use of plows to keep streets clean following snow are to blame for much of the damage.

"I would suspect that it would get worse," Latour said. "You can't keep up on them."

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras tells Eyewitness News that maintaining roads is a top priority for his administration.

The Mayor asks anyone who spots a pothole to call the Office of Neighborhood Services to report it.

If your car is seriously damaged by a pothole, you should file a police report and a claim with your community within 7 days of the incident.