COLUMBUS, Ohio — The flash freeze coming to central Ohio on Thursday night into Friday morning could change road conditions in more ways than just adding slick spots.
Potholes can pop up quickly when the temperature swings, making for a rocky commute.
City and state officials encourage drivers to report potholes when they see them.
The reporting process begins with simply knowing where a pothole is.
The Ohio Department of Transportation is responsible for interstates and state/U.S. routes that are outside of municipality limits. This means they are responsible for the freeways running through Columbus.
ODOT said they appreciate drivers being a second set of eyes on the road to point out which areas should be repaired.
Drivers can report potholes here.
If the pothole you want to report damaged your vehicle, there is an option on ODOT's website to tell them that as well.
Drivers can also report these claims by calling their pothole line at 740-833-8060.
The process to report potholes looks a little different if you run into a pothole within Columbus City limits.
The City of Columbus is responsible for more than 5,600 lane miles of city streets. That involves maintaining all city roadways and sections of state Routes 315 and 104, 161 and US-33 within city boundaries.
The city says when drivers run into a pothole, it really helps to report it sooner rather than later.
That allows the Department of Public Service street maintenance crews to find that pothole and fix it sooner.
On average, the city says most of the time their crews fill a pothole within three days of it being reported.
There are a few ways to contact 311 to report a pothole:
- Online at https://www.Columbus.Gov/311/
- Email 311@columbus.gov, or call 614-645-3111
- By the CBUS 311 mobile app available for download at https://www.Columbus.Gov/311/mobileapplication/.