Baltimore motorists have had their fill of potholes

Potholes are a sure sign of spring in Baltimore. They often form as temperatures rise after water seeps into cracks in pavement, freezes and later thaws. staff file

If you want to go on a rollercoaster, there are lots of great options in the Mid-Atlantic region. Dutch Wonderland, Hershey Park, Adventure Park USA, Trimper Rides and Jolly Roger at the Pier in Ocean City. We truly have it all. But one place that isn’t supposed to have rollercoasters, at least not since the amusement park days of Carlin’s Park and Gwynn Oak Park, is Baltimore. Yet, somehow, city streets continue to make tourists and locals alike feel like they’re on a wild and unpredictable ride thanks to a plethora of potholes.

It’s difficult to find a city neighborhood where potholes aren’t a major nuisance. There are some especially notable spots, such as Hanover Street and a few especially annoying ones on Pratt Street, but the pothole problem isn’t limited to one area. It’s a citywide issue and an increasingly frustrating one at that.

Setting aside the sheer annoyance of such encounters, potholes can damage vehicles and cost motorists hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in repairs. In 2021, AAA found that one in ten drivers had to pay for repairs related to potholes. There’s no doubt those odds increase if you live in a place like Baltimore where potholes seem like the rule, not the exception.

In a recent social media posting, the Baltimore City Department of Transportation claimed repair crews have filled more than 25,000 potholes so far this year “and they’re not slowing down.” We would ask city drivers: Does it feel like 25,000 potholes have been repaired?

That’s not to accuse city officials of misinforming the public. It’s more a matter of missing context. For example, there are some potholes that appear to be filled for short periods of time with a temporary asphalt repair mixture known as “cold patch.” Such fillings end up breaking rather quickly and are simply not the same as a permanent fix.

Complaining about potholes may seem nitpicky, but they represent a real quality-of-life issue. If we’re going to retain and attract residents — and the latest U.S. Census Bureau numbers suggest Baltimore grew for the first time in a decade last year — having well-paved roads is the cherry on top of other priorities including public safety, timely trash pickup and affordable property taxes.