Potholes creating an uptick of repairs for local business

BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) - It seems like there are more potholes than usual this year causing more trouble for drivers.

The sound of the drill is non-stop right now... thanks to all those bumps in the road.

“It’s been unbelievable. We’ve had several calls every week about tire replacements. I know that there’s a couple of really bad potholes out there. And besides being a very scary situation, that costs a lot of money,” said Brian Savak, salesman at Bismarck Tire Center. He says spring is the busiest time for repairs.

“I was just driving on Washington like I do most days and I saw the car in front of me hit like a large bump. So, I tried to do like a fast and furious spin move to avoid it but unfortunately, I made it worse. And I hit like a gigantic pothole, and I thought it was gonna be fine. But the next day I got a flat tire. But not only a flat tire I also bent the rim tire so yeah, that was not great. The roads are probably the worst I’ve ever seen them. Honestly, construction is going to be terrible this year,” said Hannah Naylor, Bismarck resident.

He says prices to fix the damage can start at around $100 - $1,000 depending on the tire size, and usually, the whole set needs replacement.

“A lot of these pothole strikes, they destroy the tire. Um, you’ll get a bubble on the sidewall on your tire and that’s not fixable with a patch. So that requires a tire replacement. If it’s a big enough pothole, you can bend your rim,” said Savak.

He also says with the snow the lanes are smaller, making it harder to maneuver around the potholes.

Bismarck Public Works has two teams out each day filling potholes when it’s not raining or snowing.

He also recommends when buying tires, choose those with a road hazard warranty and look for strong casings or a snow rating.

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