Aaron Berkowitz – General Assignment Reporter
They’re everywhere and they will mess up your car.
Every driver can relate to cringing because of the noise they hear when they run over a pothole, said Alisha Noble, sophomore psychology major.
“You really have to slow down when you’re driving by Southern,” said Noble. “My boyfriend has a Honda and it’s especially low to the ground, so when I drive I know I have to pay special attention to the road conditions so I don’t scrape a fender. I just try to avoid potholes all together.”
Noble said she has noticed lately the roads surrounding SCSU have been especially rugged and covered with holes in spots where cars could be damaged.
“I drive a bigger car so I can drive over the smaller potholes no problem,” said Jamie Rowland, junior liberal studies major. “There are a few bigger potholes that I memorized where they are because I know if I hit them while not paying attention I could be in trouble.”
Rowland says he dreads driving down Blake Street at times because of how bad the road is.
“I’m constantly weaving around these newer potholes,” said Rowland. “It can get annoying having to slow down all of the time, but I guess it’s better than messing up my car.”
Robert Sheeley, vice president for Capital Budgeting and Facilities Operations, said the faults in the streets and potholes are inevitable.
“A lot of the damage done to the roads is a result of the weather,” said Sheeley. “You see a lot more of these problems around this time because of all the snow and sand that is put down to melt it. When the snow is melted by the snow the sand gets into the cracks that are already in the street and they expand.”
Sheeley also said the plows that clean up all of the streets could be another factor in the damage done to the street. According to Sheeley, the truck’s plows could scrape the pavement while moving the snow off of the street, leading to the large holes to look out for.
He also mentioned that students have the capability to report the road problems they encounter by using the SeeClickFix application that is in affiliation with SCSU. SeeClickFix is available in the mobile application store for free and serves as a way for citizens to report non-emergency issues to local government, then have them repaired in a timely fashion.
Sheeley also said these issues drivers encounter on the road are more probable around this time of year because the plants that supply hot asphalt are closed during the winter. The city substitutes the hot asphalt with cold patch for the time being, which Sheeley said is only a “temporary solution.”
According to firestonecompleteautocare.com, potholes cause a few different types of damage to cars. The site said drivers should pay close attention to possible tire punctures, wheel/rim damage, and steering alignment issues. Drivers are recommended to increase their following distance a little more while road conditions are shaky to better the chances of seeing potholes before it’s too late.
Rowland and Noble both said they are looking forward to the roads being repaired because driving by SCSU has become even more of a hassle for commuters.
“I live in the city so even though dodging all these holes in the road can be annoying at times, its not that big of a deal if you pay attention,” said Noble. “You’re supposed to be a conscious driver anyways. The circumstances are what they are, it’s either you adjust or you risk messing up a part on your car.”
“Since I’m commuting now I drive in this area a lot more,” said Rowland. “I just really am looking forward to being able to have a smoother ride. I’m tired of driving in zigzags around these holes and I know I can’t be the only one. I’d like to see them fixed if possible.”
