KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Every Midwesterner knows the telltale thud that marks the beginning of pothole season.
On the Wednesday morning commute, spring rains brought that sound to several drivers a little earlier than usual.
A large pothole disabled more than a dozen vehicles when they hit it in the southbound lanes of Interstate 35 near Cambridge Circle.
Lots of flat tires were reported, and disabled vehicles lined the roadway.
Officials eventually closed the lane of traffic containing the car-eating hole, but the backup caused by the vehicles and closure could be seen for miles.
The Missouri Department of Transportation will be responsible for any repairs to I-35, but it's not clear when they will be able to get to it due to ongoing rain.
Drivers who experienced damage Wednesday due to the pothole can submit a claim with MoDOT here. For future incidents, reports of a road concern can be submitted here.
Residents in Kansas City, Missouri, who experience property damage on KCMO city streets can visit kcmo.gov and search "claims" to report a problem.
In 2021, 553 pothole claims were made and 74 were paid out. There have been 116 pothole claims thus far in 2022.
"The Claims Division within the Law Department investigates pothole claims. They review all of the information submitted on the claim, but the investigation process itself is closed per the sovereign immunity statute ... But we adhere to Missouri State Law when investigating and denying claims," according to a KCMO spokesperson.
Across the state line, the Kansas Department of Transportation is working to patch a large pothole on I-35 at Merriam Drive Wednesday afternoon, along with others in the area.
"As part of regularly scheduled maintenance, this morning the Olathe area KDOT crew picked up 5 tons of cold patch asphalt and will be patching potholes on segments of I-35, I-635, U.S. 56, and K-10 in Johnson County," a spokesperson said in a statement.
In Wyandotte County, pothole patching will take place on Interstate 70, Interstate 435, Interstate 635, Kansas Highway 7 and 32 and U.S. Highway 24.
"A combination of winter weather, recent rains, and surface temperature swings have created conditions where previously patched potholes lose material or existing potholes expand or worsen," the spokesperson said.
