The Politics of Potholes (and Crackpots)

Get help if you suffer damage from potholes! (4.00 / 6)

As usual, this is an insightful and accurate assessment of the situation by Liberal Lucy.  

Michigan needs a comprehensive plan to fund our next generation of road infrastructure. Like many of Michigan's problems, there is no "quick fix" to this pressing issue.

However, there are few things that you can do if you are like me and run into pothole related automobile trouble. The Michigan Department of Transportation routinely inspects state roads for potholes. If you notice a pothole forming routes that begin with US, M or I, you can report it any of three ways:

• Access MDOT's Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdot and click on the pothole icon on the lower left side of the page to display the "Report a Pothole" form
• Call the Pothole Hotline at 888-296-4546
• Contact your local Transportation Service Center (TSC) or MDOT region office.

To report potholes and other problems related to local roads, contact your local city or county road commission.

If you believe your vehicle has sustained damages on a state trunkline, from a pothole or other cause, you can contact the MDOT office in the region where the damages occurred, about filing a damage claim.  The state will consider an award only for the damages beyond what has been paid by your insurance company. Please note that the state must have been aware of the pothole for 30 days without repairing it in order for a claim to be eligible for reimbursement.

If you have a claim to file for damages, the Michigan Department of Transportation recommends the following steps:

• Download the PDF file for Form #3600
• Please print and completely fill out the form. Incomplete forms will be returned. Forms must be signed and notarized for consideration. Be sure to keep a hard copy for your records.
• Attach documentation to support your claim, such as copies of car repair estimates or copies of actual bills paid for out-of-pocket repairs.
• Return the completed form and your documentation to the MDOT region or TSC office located in the county where the incident occurred.

To contact the University Region Office of MDOT, which includes the Lansing area, please call (517) 750-0401.

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by: Representative Barb Byrum @ Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 10:19:57 AM CST

Johnny-on-the-Spot (4.00 / 2)

or should I say Barb-on-the-Spot? :-)

Great supplement, thanks adding this to the discussion, and now if you'll excuse me, I have a call to make about M-43...

I want to change the world, not help people adjust to it. - Millie Jeffrey, MI - National Women's labor and Democratic activist, Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient

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by: LiberalLucy @ Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 10:36:10 AM CST

[ Parent ]

thank you (4.00 / 1)

what are great way to get this information out - Thank you very much!

What would Eleanor Roosevelt do?

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by: janeenr @ Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 10:34:33 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Non-petroleum- based pavement (4.00 / 3)

  As petro-based material becomes less environmentally and economically pheasable, "bio roads" could be another green industry that mi might want to pursue.

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by: bobdurivage @ Mon Feb 25, 2008 at 23:48:02 PM CST

How about something totally different? (4.00 / 1)

I don't want to see an increase in the gas tax simply because gas is already over $3.00 a gallon on most days and is one of the reasons why our economy is in shambles.  Making the price higher would make things even worse.

We should get a different form of revenue that won't hurt people's wallets like a gas tax increase would.

Putting conservatives in charge of our government makes about as much sense as GM hiring a CEO who hates cars.

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by: djtyg @ Tue Feb 26, 2008 at 03:04:47 AM CST