By Charlotte Reilly
The potholes lining Omaha’s streets are forcing residents to make a tough decision: swerve or face the consequences.
“So a few days ago, I was heading to campus for a fraternity meeting, and just didn’t see the pothole out of nowhere, and just I heard like a thump,” said University of Nebraska at Omaha student Jimmy Carroll.
Carroll’s tire was half-full by the time he reached campus. The repair cost almost two hundred dollars. He fears the roads will be a barrier for fellow commuter students.
“It does suck as a commuter student,” Carroll said. “I really hope they fix that pothole sooner than later.
Students aren’t the only ones facing difficulties. The road in front of Omaha resident Lee Ridgway’s home is dotted with large potholes.
“I’ve called my councilperson, and I’ve voiced my opinion on it, but it kind of falls on deaf ears,” Ridgway said.
The potholes on Ridgway’s street are so large cars have to drive off-road to get around them.
“You know if we want some entertainment at our house, all we have to do is shut the TV off, look out the window, and watch the cars come down the street,” he said. “It sounds like explosions.”
Lee Katelman, an employee of Lyle’s Tires and Wheels said business has tripled.
“We had a couple of people come in, and they’ve talked to us about (how) they blew out a tire on their vehicle, went and put their spare on, literally drove another 10 feet, hit another pothole (and) blew out the spare,” Katelman said.
The poor driving conditions has caused some Omaha roads, such as the street through Elmwood Park, to close.
“It has a lot to do with the compound and the calcium chloride that they are putting on the ground to keep the ice from freezing, and that’s going into the concrete,” Katelman said. “It eats concrete. It eats your cars.”
Road repairs have begun, but were initially delayed due to snow. Katelman expects steady work until the potholes are filled.
“We get to about 2, 3 o’clock and I’ll try to squeeze things in, but it’s usually booked till the end of the day,” he said.
Vehicles damaged by potholes from January to March 18 may be eligible for reimbursement from the city. Criteria is published in the City of Omaha website.
