Did your teeth just rattle over that pothole? Here’s how to report it to Wichita, county
Unexpectedly driving over a pothole is not a fun surprise. Not only are potholes nuisances, but in some cases they can also cause significant damage to your vehicle.
According to auto club AAA, in 2021, damage caused by potholes cost more than $26 billion in the U.S. The average cost that year for pothole damage was about $600 per repair, according to the same release.
While you may not be able to avoid potholes during your morning commute, there are ways to report them to ensure the city of Wichita knows where repairs are needed.
How to report potholes to the city of Wichita
Anyone can report a traffic issue, including potholes, online at wichita.gov/1013/Report-an-Issue. You can also use the same website to report an ethics complaint, a nondiscrimination ordinance complaint, nuisance reporting and more.
To report potholes, click “new request” on the map underneath “report an issue.” From there, type in the location of the pothole. Once you verify the address, you will get a list of categories, and one of those options is “report a pothole,” which you should select and submit. There’s also an option to download a photo.
Alternatively, you can email the complaint to traffic@wichita.gov or call 316-268-4013. The location of the pothole should be included. You can also report potholes through the city’s app. There you can check recent pothole reports and see if the city has responded to the reports.
A TikTok posted by the city of Wichita said crews usually respond to fill reported potholes within 24 hours. The city fills around 70,000 potholes a year, according to the TikTok.
Sedgwick County also has an online complaint form. You can use this form to report things like potholes, tall weeds blocking views and the need for more signage in a specific area.
There are some traffic situations Sedgwick County officials say you should report to 911 instead of the county’s online form, however. Emergency situations include anything that could cause an accident, including a broken or inoperable stop signal or anything blocking visibility.
Can I be reimbursed for pothole damage?
If your vehicle does suffer damage due to Kansas roadway conditions, you can submit a damage claim to the Kansas Department of Transportation.
In most cases, KDOT will not reimburse for damage caused by a pothole unless the department knew of it ahead of time and failed to fix it. If you do file a claim, you have to show the department was negligent in maintenance of the roadway or an employee of the department caused the damage. For example, a weed trimmer throwing a rock that damages your vehicle.
KDOT will only pay out a claim if the damage was on a roadway maintained by the state. So if the damage was created on a road maintained by the city, you could not file a KDOT claim.
Claims have to submitted to KDOT with the following information:
- A “Personal Injury or Property Damage or Loss Claim Against the State of Kansas” form
- Copy of your title or registration of the vehicle
- A statement from you or your insurance saying the damage has not been paid, or if it has the company that paid it and the total
- At least two estimates/bills showing what the repair will cost
- Photos of your vehicle’s damage
- If applicable, include the police report
- If you reported the damage to KDOT, include the person you spoke with, the date of the report and number you called
How to drive safely over and near potholes
The next best thing after getting potholes repaired is to know tricks to drive safely over them to avoid vehicle damage.
Here are some tips for driving over potholes, from Toyota:
- Drive slowly through puddles in case of a hidden pothole
- Keep a three-second following distance from the vehicle in front of you
- Keep an extra eye out if driving on an unfamiliar road
- If you can’t drive around a pothole, slow down and hold tightly to the steering wheel when driving over
- Drive extra slow in the dark
This story was originally published February 15, 2024 at 6:25 AM.
