VDOT asking drivers to report potholes through new submission form

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (WWBT) - The dreaded potholes, they’re the last thing any driver wants to hit while on the road.

As winter weather fades and temperatures warm, Virginia drivers are bracing for an influx of seasonal road damage.

“After dealing with some tough winter weather events that we’ve seen in the past couple months, motorists are going to start seeing a lot more potholes on the roads,” said Amy Friedenberger, VDOT manager of external communications.

This is the time of year when more cracks and crumbles appear on Virginia’s roadways.

To address the problem, VDOT is rolling out a new initiative aimed at finding and repairing potholes, but the agency needs the public’s help to make it work.

VDOT is asking drivers to help by reporting potholes to its customer service center, a 24/7 operation.

The process is simple: head over to my.vdot.virginia.gov and fill out an online form.

Drivers need to click on what type of repair is needed, such as pothole repair, and where it’s located.

Once you hit submit, VDOT gets the message and passes it along to their local crews, who’ll schedule the fix based on the location and how serious the damage is.

Crews are already in action. Today, VDOT workers were spotted repairing damage on Nash Road in Chesterfield.

“It’s going to be helpful to VDOT if people can report those potholes to us because we may not be able to identify all of them ourselves,” Friedenberger said. “More eyes on the road is going to help us deal with these potholes a lot more efficiently.”

If your car is damaged by a pothole, you can head to the same website and submit a claim. The claim will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

“If the area in which the damage may have occurred is on a VDOT-maintained roadway, the agency will conduct an investigation and then submit both the motorist documentation and their own research to VDOT central office for a final determination,” Friedenberger said.

Remember that VDOT only handles state-maintained roads. For places like Richmond, Henrico, residents should report any potholes they see to their local government.