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Chicagoans have often wondered what is going on with all the potholes that appear to increasingly multiply on city streets, year after year. In fact, frustrated motorists find it nearly impossible to navigate a nightmarish obstacle course that often punctures tires, cracks wheels, knocks vehicles out of alignment, destroys shocks, and harms suspensions. Even exhaust pipes, muffler, or catalytic converter can be damaged by deep potholes when a car’s undercarriage scrapes against the pavement. There can be a loss of power or unpleasant noises if there’s a hole in the exhaust system. Unchecked, a car could potentially spew out harmful pollutants and let exhaust fumes into the cabin, posing conditions serious to one’s health.
Many Chicago motorists believe their pothole problem is among the worst in the nation. Illinois is ranked the 7th worst state for potholes, according to QuoteWizard, an independent online insurance comparison platform. Two Illinois cities made the top-50 list for the worst pothole problems in America. Champaign ranked 32nd and Chicago came in at number 41 out of 19,502 incorporated cities, towns, and villages in the United States.
There is also a burdensome financial component associated with potholes. A 2022 summary report from the national transportation research group TRIP found that 40% of U.S. roadways—encompassing highways, arterials, and local roads are in poor or mediocre condition. The result of this is an average cost to the single driver of $621 per year for vehicle repairs. When you consider the total number of drivers in the United States, a few hundred dollars per driver totals more than $141 billion. At such an expense, there must be a technological solution to this perennial problem.
Potholes are incredibly dangerous for drivers. Cars are already an expensive necessity, especially in Chicago. Potholes can destroy a vehicle, rendering it unusable until it is repaired. Tires are the biggest victims of potholes. They are susceptible to sidewall bulges, uneven wear, or going flat. The wheels are another vulnerable part. The pressure of the car slamming into the pothole could dent or even crack the wheel, needing a replacement. The most dangerous part a pothole can damage is the exhaust.
Since the exhaust pipes line the bottom of the car, they too are vulnerable to the effects of potholes. Scraping an exhaust pipe can result in a hole. A hole in the exhaust pipe can result in a loss of power in the vehicle and the spewing of harmful fumes into the atmosphere, or worse, human lungs.
Perhaps the most important question facing an increasingly frustrated motorist is when will these potholes get repaired, and why has technology left this problem unsolved. The pothole problem has existed for centuries. Archeologists have even noted the problem in ancient roman roads. After centuries, potholes should be a small and easy problem to conquer.
Many possible solutions have been suggested regarding the repair and prevention of potholes. One company proposes using artificial intelligence and 3D mapping to expedite the process of detecting potholes. The current system is reactive and only starts the process of dealing with a pothole after its been reported. With AI potholes would be detected more quickly, and the process to repair them would begin much earlier.
Purdue University is working on another possible fix. Firstly, they have proposed putting a specialized sensor in the concrete that monitor its strength. This hastens the process of determining what concrete needs repair. Additionally, they have begun working on a concrete that can fill its own cracks. When mixed with rain, a material in the concrete will harden, sealing the cracks. According to an associate professor, any crack less than 75 millimeters can be completely healed within a week.
The Illinois Center for Transportation (IDOT) is actively making an effort to find a solution to the state’s pothole problem. In their Feb. 2021 report, IDOT investigated new optimized pothole patching materials, equipment and techniques. Their goal was to improve pothole performance while causing less disruption to the public and reducing the potential for vehicle damage. “The biggest success of the study was utilizing the district interviews with operations staff to really understand what was occurring around the state… When we see that other people are doing things differently, then that’s what opens us up to improvement and change,” stated Laura Shanley, an IDOT maintenance support engineer.
Ultimately, the city of Chicago, or more accurately, Illinois taxpayers spent upwards of $25 million in fiscal year 2019 on pothole repairs. That number was much higher last year. And it does not include out of pocket cost for vehicle repairs. According to one angry motorist, Chicagoans deserve better. “You pay your tax dollars, you expect reasonable portion of, you know, some reciprocity. It just simply doesn’t come. You know, you spend all this money on these cars, you spend all this money in taxes. There’s just no relief. (inaudible) And I’m very disappointed with our government.”
Most Chicago motorists will remain frustrated and angry over the landmine of potholes that seem to increase each year. However, if you are looking for a solution to mitigate the anger caused by the feeling of neglect and indifference, try contacting the city to report the exact location of the pothole by calling 311, texting “Chicago” to 311-311, or using the city’s new mobile app. The free app is available through the Apple Store or Google Play. That should put it on the list for crews to try to repair.
Written by DiMarkco Chandler
Sources:
Statista: Number of cities, towns and villages (incorporated places) in the United States in 2019, by population size
Stacker: See how many pothole complaints are filed in Illinois
Illinois Center for Transportation Series No. 21-003: Current and Future Best Practices for Pothole Repair in Illinois
WGN9: Pothole problems anger Chicago drivers
Images Courtesy of TNS Staff
