Drivers say large pothole in South Oakland caused major damage to cars

PITTSBURGH — UPDATE: The pothole was filled by Tuesday evening.

ORIGINAL STORY: If you’re taking 2nd Avenue headed out of the city, watch out for barriers in the outbound lane. They’re blocking a large pothole. Drivers tell us they ran over it and now they have to pay for repairs.

Channel 11 was there as cars were being towed away from Second Avenue in South Oakland last night — after drivers ran over a large pothole that damaged their cars.

“Coming down second avenue, swerved to miss one pot hole and I hit another one. It took my front and back passenger side tire out. And probably my rims as well,” Rayna Walker said.

“I was driving on this main road out here and hit probably a two-foot deep pot hole, propped the front and rear passenger side wheel on this car,” Reece Davis said.

Davis is estimating repairs could cost more than $1000.

“Two popped tires, possibly two bent rims, and any suspension stuff after that. I need an alignment. Realistically probably $1,500 in damage,” Davis said.

When we went back out to 2nd Avenue today, the pothole wasn’t fixed — and was surrounded by barriers – with Pittsburgh Department of Public Works markings on them.

DPW director Chris Hornstein told Channel 11:

We continue to receive our daily shipments of the blue salt, magnesium chloride, the delivery of which of course are weather dependent.

Regarding the pothole on 2nd Ave, I became aware of it much earlier today. We were planning to address this afternoon/evening. It may very well be filled in by now.

I recommend that all drivers to stay off their cell phones while driving. This is especially true during inclement weather. Please, folks should not attempt to take pictures of roads with a cell phone while driving. We will be around to address.

Be warm. Stay safe.

Channel 11 has been working to figure out if the city will pay drivers whose cars were damaged.

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