COLORADO SPRINGS — At Larsen’s Automotive and Tire in Pueblo, the aftermath of pothole encounters is common this time of year.
“It's going to bend something on the suspension, either tie rod and or lower control arm, upper control arm,” said Owner, Jeff Larsen.
Worst-case damage can cost thousands.
Larsen also said less obvious damage like wheels being bumped out of alignment can lead to tires wearing out sooner than they should.
“Make sure that the steering wheel didn't change direction, or have any abnormal driving,” said Larsen.
Potholes in Colorado are a year-round issue, however, there tends to be more in the transition time between winter and spring.
“This time of year, we get extreme freeze-thaw because when the storms do come in they bring in a lot of moisture, then we still get nighttime temperatures that dip down into the freezing,” said Colorado Springs Public Works Operations Manager, Corey Farkas.
The swing from warm to cold increases the amount of potential road damage.
Water from the melt during warm days seeps under the pavement.
It then freezes and expands overnight causing the pavement to break.
Warmer days also make way for crews on pothole patrol to spend more time repairing roads.
“If you're seeing a pothole that has been sitting there for two weeks, don't assume that somebody has called it in. Go ahead and call it in, report that pothole because you know there’s a good chance that nobody has reported it,” said Farkas.
If you see a pothole in Colorado Springs you can call 719-385-ROAD: you can report it at thislink on the city’s website, and the GOCOS app is the most direct option.
In Pueblo, you can register to report potholes at this link on the city’s website.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
