Pothole problems on the road? Report it

Raleigh has four pothole repair crews riding around looking for problems, but with 1,000 miles of road to patrol, they need drivers' help, too.

"With 100 employees, there's no way we can see all these streets every day," said Raleigh Streets Superintendent Chris McGee. "So if you see one, please take time out of your schedule to call us and let us know."

Driver Chad Smith recounted two recent run-ins. A pothole popped two of the tires on his wife's car and he "had to avoid one (pothole) this morning coming to work," he said Monday.

McGee said potholes start with one little crack in the pavement.

"Moisture just gets into that crack and then freezes (and) thaws," he said. "With traffic going back and forth across it, eventually you have a pothole."

Cold weather and potholes go hand in hand, but this year hasn't been that bad, according to McGee.

"We had a really cold spell, but we didn't have a whole lot of snow and ice or winter precipitation," he said.

Raleigh crews can usually repair potholes the same day drivers report them, he said. The state Department of Transportation tries to fill potholes within 48 hours, officials said.