Missouri Department of Transportation crews are focusing on pothole repair through April. When you see a MoDOT crew making repairs, motorists should slow down and move over a lane to give it room to work.

A news release says crews started working to address potholes as soon as there was a break in the weather last week. MoDOT will have about 300 pothole-patching crews statewide working to make roadways safer. In 2020, MoDOT patched approximately 760,000 potholes, spending $18 million on pothole patching.

MoDOT maintains 34,000 miles of road, including interstates and U.S. and Missouri routes and lettered routes.

Potholes are a sign of an aging transportation system. Missouri’s budget for road repairs is largely financed by a 17-cent per gallon gas tax that has remained the same since 1996. Many roadways that would benefit from resurfacing can only be patched due to limited resources.

If you can’t avoid a pothole, try to slow down before you hit it. Here are some other safety tips:
· Don’t brake directly over a pothole as this can cause more damage.
· When driving over the pothole, hold the steering wheel firmly to avoid losing control.
· Use caution when driving over a puddle of water because it might be a pothole in hiding.
· Make sure your tires are properly inflated. Properly inflated ties hold up better against potholes than tires that have too much or too little air.

Motorists can report the location of potholes on state-maintained roads using the following tools:
· Call the 24/7 Customer Service Center at (888) ASK-MODOT (888-275-6636).
· Use the Report a Road Concern form on the web at modot.org.
· Use a smart phone/tablet with a mobile friendly form at modot.org/roadconcern.

Potholes on city streets or subdivisions should be reported to local city or county maintenance.