How to Report Those Potholes

The Road Commission for Oakland County calls potholes a "never-ending problem."

Farmington-Farmington Hills Patch readers seem to agree.

More than a half-dozen readers responded on our Facebook page Wednesday when we asked about the biggest potholes in the city. Locations mentioned include:

• The north, westbound lane of Grand River, between Grace and Cass
• Southbound Middlebelt, just north of 13 Mile Road
• Northbound Orchard Lake, north of Grand River
• The south lane of eastbound 12 Mile Road, just past the Post Office
• Freedom Road
• Lamar Street
• Springbrook Street
• Haynes Street
• Eight Mile between Farmington and Gill Roads

If you've seen a hubcap-loosening pothole, share the location with a comment. And here's a guide to letting the cities, county and state know about them: 

Reporting a pothole

County roads: If you see a pothole on a county road (Haggerty, Orchard Lake, Middlebelt, 12 Mile, portions of 10 Mile, Eight Mile and Farmington Roads) you can report it to the Road Commission.

• For large potholes with sharp edges — the ones that can damage vehicles — call the Road Commission at 877-858-4804.
• For other potholes, fill out a form online here to make a report.

Farmington Hills roads: For potholes on roads maintained by the city of Farmington Hills (a map that shows which roads are under the city's jurisdiction is posted at fhgov.com), call the Dept. of Public Works, 248-871-2850.

Farmington roads: Call the city's Dept. of Public Works at 248-473-7250.

Michigan roads: For Grand River/M-5, I-696, I-275 and Northwestern Hwy., report potholes online here.

Why all the potholes?

The January thaw is the biggest cause of the holes in the roads. 

Potholes form when water flows into cracks, then freezes, expands, and pushes away the roadbed under the concrete or asphalt, according to information on the Road Commission website.

When temperatures rise, the ice melts, leaving an unsupported gap that becomes a pothole whenever cars, and especially trucks, pass over.

"Although potholes become plentiful when warm spells interrupt a long period of cold weather, such as the 'January thaw,' the largest number of potholes normally crops up in the spring as frost comes out of the ground," according to the Road Commission.

Have you been affected by a pothole this week?