Pothole Problems Will Get Worse Before They Get Better

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NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - So, you're driving after the North Texas ice has finally melted. Great! Then, bam you hit a gigantic pothole. Sorry. And unfortunately those dips in the pavement and asphalt are going to get worse before they get better.

A CBS 11 News crew cruised around the North Texas streets all night and saw more than their fair share of potholes.

Officials with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) say they're busy working on emergency pavement repairs like the one on Highway 287. That means the potholes fixes are just going to have to wait.

One North Texas driver said, "My strut was actually blown by one of them on the 35." Another relented, "You hit them every day."

If you've driven a car lately you know exactly what those drivers are sounding off about.

The recent wintry mix dumped on our roads has given way to countless potholes.

TxDOT officials say they're ready to deploy crews to fill the holes, but not until all the winter weather pushes through.

People like Marvin Branch end up at area tire shops.

Sam Timmons is the co-owner of Fort Worth Tire & Service. "I know that the weather is tough on the roads, but we just pray that they get fixed and taken care of as soon as possible."

Fort Worth Tire has been around for three decades and according to Timmons every time there's a snow and ice event he can count on pothole damage.

"The suspension damage can be unbelievable," he said.

And as you probably guessed, the fix isn't always cheap. "Anywhere from $150 to $800 a tire and these people ruining their tires because of the shape our streets are in."

Some say the roads even look like a battlefield, leaving local driving warriors feeling helpless.

The reality is you're just going to have to wait for repairs and drive carefully.

The next round of ice and snow is expected to start falling Friday and possibly continue through early next week. Officials with TxDOT say they will get to filing the potholes after that.

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