Where Are the Biggest, Baddest Potholes in Birmingham?
Here's how to tell your neighbors about them and how to (possibly) get paid back for the damage they cause.
The average Michigan motorist pays $357 annually in unnecessary vehicle repairs due to poor roads, according to an April 2012 report by the national transportation research group TRIP.
According to TRIP, bad roads in total cost Michigan drivers $2.5 billion per year in extra vehicle repairs.
On the Birmingham Patch Facebook page, several readers have noted particularly bad potholes at the intersection of Big Beaver and Adams, but are those still the worst potholes in town?
If you notice any potholes around town, the city of Birmingham urges residents to report them immediately. Potholes on Woodward, Big Beaver and Cranbrook should be rpeorted to the Road Commission for Oakland County at 877-858-4804 or at www.rcocweb.org (click on "Contact Us" at the bottom).
Meanwhile, if you see any potholes on Birmingham city streets, contact the Department of Public Services at 248-530-1700.
In the meanwhile, help your friends and neighbors avoid the big ones by locating the offending holes on the map above (just hit the "Add" button).
Pothole pocketbook contest
And if your vehicle has been damaged by a pothole, a state transportation agency may pay you back.
The Michigan Transportation Team has launched a "Pothole Pocketbook Contest." Trough April 5, one randomly selected person each week will win a check to cover the cost of pothole-related repairs.
The contest is open to all Michigan-licensed drivers age 18 or older who have experienced vehicle repairs caused by bad roads in 2013. To enter, drivers must submit a photo or scan of their repair bill at justfixtheroads.com/contest along with providing the contact information of their mechanic or body shop to verify the repair.
Drivers who submit a photo of their vehicle’s damage are eligible for a bonus entry in the contest. By submitting a photo of the pothole that led to the damage, drivers will earn a second bonus entry in the contest.
“Michigan residents want action to fix our roads,” said Mike Nystrom, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association and co-chair of the Michigan Transportation Team. “Michigan’s road conditions cost drivers real money, which is why we’re giving people a chance to win back some of that money.”
For more information and the Pothole Pocketbook Contest, visitjustfixtheroads.com/contest.
