Crews Tackling Thousands Of Potholes So Far This Year In Philadelphia

Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook  | Twitter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Potholes are one of the biggest frustrations for drivers. Experts say this winter's wild weather is wreaking havoc on Delaware Valley roads.

Crews are working hard to keep up. Chopper 3 captured a pothole patrol on Route 55 in Deptford on Friday.

Workers are tackling thousands of potholes in Philadelphia, too. PennDOT had about 30 crews out today, filling in potholes across the region.

Because of the region we live in, experts say, the freeze-thaw cycle in the winter makes the roads more prone to potholes.

"It's definitely a feeling of my heart sinking," said Kelsey Monahan. "I've hit multiple, really bad potholes. I had to replace struts on my car. That's almost a grand each."

In just Philadelphia alone, the Streets Department repaired 12,000 potholes since Jan. 1. To put that in perspective, the Streets Department repaired 65,000 potholes last year and 35,000 in 2017.

PennDOT has put down 1,400 tons of asphalt to fix potholes, which is about $1.1 million out of the department's budget.

"We go through cycles of cooler temperatures, snow or rain. That moisture gets into cracks. Overnight, it freezes and expands," said John Krafczyk, assistant district executive for maintenance at PennDOT District 60.

Workers are keeping busy as those numbers go up.

"Be cautious while you're driving," said Wayne Negron, owner of JJW Tire Shop. "Have the right PSI on your tires can help. Some drivers overflate. Anything over that, you risk blowing out the tire or putting a bubble in the tire."

The main message Philadelphia's Streets Department and PennDOT want to get across is, if you see a pothole, don't assume it's been called in, make sure you let the city and the state know.

Click here to report a pothole problem with the Streets Department and click here to do the same with PennDOT.

To report a problem in New Jersey, click here, and to report a pothole issue in Delaware, click here.