2007/2008 Winter Pothole Thread!
 

So it's no secret the Chicago roads really suffer this time of year when steel blades dig into the pavement. Since it's nearly impossible for the city crews to promptly fill these very damaging and costly holes, let's report the nasty ones we've seen w/ the hopes that we can avoid doing damage to our cars.

* North Avenue, the "temporary" bridge between Sheffield and Home Depot. Two NASTY holes westbound.

* Ashland Avenue, south of Cortland, north of Wabansia, right under the train bridge as the road dips down. Right lane going southbound there's a monster -- lookout! :eek:

The underpass to LSD from Michigan Avenue is not in good shape in the summer. Now, you couldn't avoid a pothole if you were riding a bicycle.

The underpass isn't in good shape now either. All of LSD needs some TLC. I was driving South just before Irving Park, last week, and there was such a big crater that you could see the rebar. Fortunately, it was in the middle of the lane.

I saw that one, I believe it's right after a bridge.

Last week there were several cars pulled over with flats just south of Irving Park Road on LSD - the potholes were swallowing the cars.

ASAP and PDQ.

Southbound Ashland, just as you cross Lawrence. Left lane. Careful!

Larrabee, at the Division intersection. Northbound lane.

I was making a left off of Division onto Larrabee (to avoid a nasty Halsted jam), and as soon as I finished the turn...BAM! Fortunately, I was only going 5-10 mph. Any faster and it would have done damage.

Southbound Damen, just north of Armitage -- right by the My Pi pizza shopping center. It's a monster.

Will I be able to get to Stanley's without needing a front end alignment afterwards? :p ;)

Audis should be banned from the roads. They're so delicate. :D

Right off the Foster Ave exit off LSD, after the 1st traffic light going westbound, there is a HUGE pothole on the left lane. I had to swerve to oncoming traffic lane just to avoid damage to my car.

And no, it is not an Audi! :d

Depends on your rear end, especially since you put down those fake 1/2 gallons of ice cream. :D

Well, since I don't drive a "service oriented" Audi, I should be OK.

Southbound near McCormick place, right lane heading towards the I-90/55 ramp, there's one that could eat your SmartCar.

I think this one is due to a leaky water main there -- the street's been flooding off and on all year. (Was just in California, where such a waste of water would be scandalous, and before that in Japan, where potholes would be scandalous.)

I always take extra care around underpasses. The water dripping off the bridge above usually creates some interesting ice opportunities.

They appear to have patched a few between Montrose and Irving, but not the one that's made me worry after hitting it, on the upslope to the bridge over Irving, second lane from the left, left tire track. Still there.

Grand Ave between the Kennedy bridge and Racine (roughly). There's a faint line of "tolerable" missing road chunks near the paint stripe that divides the lanes, but within this ~30 foot stretch of road imperfections there is a nasty hole that made my car go boom yesterday. I was headed westbound.

By now, driving your car must feel like being in a pick-up! :D

Struck a monster today on LSD south before Foster. It jolted the entire car and I lost my favorite song on the Satellite radio for a couple seconds:td:. Called the 311 peeps on that one.

Good move GreenTrees. Call these puppies into 3-1-1 to get them in queue.

At this time of year in a frozen climate, potholes only get temporary "cold patches", similar to what a hardway store sells for your driveway.

Full fixes aren't available until spring after the Asphalt plants re-open.

Don't know how long you've lived in Chicago, but even in the spring/summer it seems that potholes go neglected until they're so large that whole cars start to fall in them.

2 spots for me.

The bridge between the Ryan and Clark on 18th is like the surface of the moon.

Today, a HUGE pothole opened in the viaduct between Lake Park and LSD on 47th. Delayed my bus by 10 minutes. Really grim. Cars backed up everywhere.

Maybe I should keep my big-arse SUV for winter pothole runs. I was thinking about leaving it behind in Arkansas. When we lived here before I didn't have a car for about 80% of my time here, and didn't have one in the winter.

A few years ago I was at the Hyde Park Co-op and saw a compact car tumbled into a gigantic pothole in the parking lot, at a 45-degree angle. Must have been 7 feet deep. Don't think it was wintertime.

I saw them patching in there this morning. Will see in a day or two if it's any good.

The roads in Naperthrill are as perfect as the cutesy downtown area. :D

They are indeed useful in navigating the prolific speed bumps inthe city too.

There is a massive one on Northbound LSD just after Diversey in the right lane. Lower wacker over the river is entirely rutted.

So, the left lane was closed (going from NB Michigan to LSD) yesterday morning, at least 6 guys and a couple trucks. This morning, all open, apparently nothing done, potholes still just as bad.

Saw an ugly one at 50th and Cicero, southbound center lane (heading towards MDW). Not large, maybe less than 1' diameter, but deeeeeep. If you're tire hits it you'll have to invoke the flat tire rule at MDW.

The road between Sam's Wine and Best Buy (North Ave) has some beasts, especially where it ends at the garbage dump.

Also, Milwaukee Ave north at the Kinzie/Des Plaines intersection. HUGE crater.

The city must think this is a proving ground for all the Lincoln Park SUVs... These craters are so big that you can't even drive around them.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

I just wrecked a tire on LSD tonight, SB on the upslope to Irving. Not the one I mentioned earlier in the thread. I think I was in the 2nd lane, but this one got my right front tire.

:mad::mad::mad::mad:

Losing a tire is the easy part. A bent rim is what really annoy$ me...is yours okay?

Not sure yet. Looks okay, but won't know until I take it to the shop tomorrow and have them throw it on the machine to see.

Sorry to hear that. I just submitted my claim form to the city for a tire that I blew out in the same location recently. Make sure that you go to the police within 10 days to get a police report. I wonder how long it will take to get my money back.

It's not potholes exactly but of archeological interest -- On Madison just west of the River (between 2 Riverside Plaza and Union Station) enough of the asphalt is gone in spots that you can see lovely cobblestones!

that said - I've lived in Chicago since '75 and this is the worst pothole season I have ever seen. Cicero from 75th to 93rd had some real doozies 10 days ago.

Where did you get the claim form? Thanks for the tip, I'll call 311 tomorrow and get a police report.

Looked at the rim again today in the daylight and I was wrong, it's screwed. Lovely.

You file it with the Clerk of the City of Chicago. The link is: http://www.chicityclerk.com/claims/mod_mvform.html

Note that you should fill out the form online and then print it out. If you print out the form, you will need to type in the data anyway - handwritten is not permitted. You need the police report before you fill out the form since you need to include the police report number on it.

I think that you will need to stop into a police station to get the report. It can be any station. You should bring in your drivers license and your insurance card. If your VIN is not on the insurance card, you should bring in your registration as well. It took me less than 10 minutes from the time I got in the station until the time I left.

Good luck!

3/28/08: Updated to include the correct form with the city. Originally I had posted the property damage form link when what is really needed is the motor vehicle damage form. Sorry about that!