Whether it is a nuisance on your morning commute or it almost caused an accident, potholes should be repaired. The Public Works Department of a city is in charge of repairing potholes and often they do not assess that a road needs repair until a report has been filed.

If you come across a pothole and would like to have it repaired, you should call your local 3-1-1 to report it. 311 works from either your local landline connection or your current cell tower connection location. 311 also has a local normal phone number that you can call and an online form in some areas.

Pothole Reporting Numbers

Austin

Phone number: (512) 974-2000
Online Pothole Repair Form

San Antonio

Phone number: (210) 207-6000
Online Pothole Repair Form

Round Rock

Online Pothole Repair Form

Dripping Springs

Online Pothole Repair Form

Pothole Damage

Potholes can cause a lot of damage to you and your car when they are driven over. Potholes commonly pop low profile tires which are more common with modern car manufacturers. Potholes can also cause accidents when drivers attempt to avoid them.

If you have run over a large pothole, inspect your vehicle to see if any damage has occurred. Check your car for these common pothole damages.

Popped Tires
Bent Rims
Broken Axles
Fractured Chassis
Split body panels
Suspension Damage
Smashed Exhaust System

Pothole Damage Claim

You can submit a damage claim to the Texas Department of Transportation, but Texas laws state that the city is not responsible for reimbursement.

The Texas DOT will submit the claim to the proper city, but the chances are that the claim will not be fulfilled. Texas cities are not liable for any damages done by potholes, but you can still try to report the issue.

How Do Potholes Form

Potholes form in many ways, but one of the most common is water damage. Over time a small crack in the asphalt will allow for water to flow into the crack and start to break down layers of the asphalt. The base, consisting mostly of rock sand and dirt will slowly erode away leaving the asphalt to dip below where it used to be.

Once the asphalt loses the sub-base, the rest of the paved surface will start to crack away causing a pothole. The hole can spread and widen as cars drive over it and as water continues to enter into it.

Why Are They Called Potholes

Potholes got their name not because the holes were pot shaped but because pottery makers would look for ruts in the road to find clay deposits. Ruts made by wagon wheels would move away the top layer of soil and expose the thicker clay. The pottery makers would make the holes worse by digging up the clay, so these ruts became known as potholes or holes that made pots.