Maryland Gets Millions To Fix Potholes

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Work crews across the state have repaired thousands of potholes since the end of the record-breaking winter, but their job is not done yet.

As Gigi Barnett explains, the state is forking over millions to fix its damaged roads.

The wicked winter weather dealt Maryland roads a brutal beating. The snow is gone now, but gaping potholes are left behind.

"Worst spot... York Road at Bosley," said Brent Francis.

Francis, a Baltimore County resident, sees potholes everywhere.

"Probably the first two miles north of the Beltway is really, really bad. You just have to weave up the road to miss all of the potholes," he said.

It's dangerous driving, indeed.

"I'm avoiding them and it's dangerous," said driver Elizabeth Voss. "Because if you're on a narrow road, like a lot of these roads, and they're going two-way and they're narrow, it's a problem."

Road crews across Maryland are working overtime to fill and fix the problem potholes, but it's busting county budgets statewide. Now state leaders are digging deep into their pockets and shelling out an extra $10 million to undo the damage.

"We've had to fill over 70,000 potholes so far," said Baltimore City Department of Transportation Director William Johnson.

Johnson says his crews are finding potholes faster than they can fill them. The city's cut of the pothole fund is about $800,000. Johnson says that money is needed right away.

"Because it was a long, rough winter. We have a number of streets that we've already programmed to take care of, but I'm sure there are some additional streets that are going to have to come on our list," he said. "We're up to the challenge."

Baltimore County has more roadways than any other county in the state--about 2,700 miles worth---so it will receive the most money from the pothole repair fund--more than $1 million.

The state says money for the pothole fund comes from the transportation trust fund.

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