GDOT warns more potholes are popping up this time of year

ATLANTA — Some metro area commuters said they had to buy new tires because their old ones were ruined by potholes.

Drivers are warning that some local highways have areas that resemble minefields.

Dean Grant told Channel 2's Berndt Petersen that his car's run-flat tires were no match for the pothole he said he hit on Interstate 285 near the Ashford-Dunwoody Road exit.

He said he barely made it to the nearest gas station.

"I had to creep in the right-hand lane to get here, just hoping I didn't destroy the rim," Grant said.

The Georgia Department of Transportation said this season's winter weather took a toll on some metro-area highways.

TRENDING STORIES:

"We didn't have many, but we had some severe cold snaps. It gets that ice in the road in some of these areas that are crumbly and can make them worse. That's why if you travel in the Northeast or Midwest, their roads during the winter weather season can deteriorate quickly," Natalie Dale, with the GDOT, told Petersen.

Dale said that, if you see a pot hole, you should call 511 and report it. It will be put on the growing list of ruts needing repairs.

Grant told Petersen that he understands the repairs are a big job but this is the second time his family's cars have needed new tires in the last 12 months because of potholes.

"It's difficult enough to drive in Atlanta with all the traffic without having to focus directly on the road in front of you. That's what you have to do now to dodge potholes and keep things like this from happening,” Grant said.

Drivers can file a claim if they can prove that a pothole damaged their car, but the process also involves proving the GDOT was negligent in regard to repairing the rut in the first place.

Cox Media Group