Potholes in Lehigh Acres are causing a stir among motorists who are fed up with dodging them during commutes.
Jennifer Mitchell, a longtime resident of Lehigh Acres, shared her frustrations with the condition of the roads.
"I'm concerned for my tires, and they're not little. These holes are large," said Mitchell.
Lee County allocates more than $5 million annually to resurface roads in the area, but Mitchell feels the efforts fall short.
"When the guys apply the tar to the individual pothole, whatever. They're not doing a good job," she said. "They apply it as if they take it in the shovel, zoop, and walk away. They should be proud of their job and smooth it down nicely."
Kevin Mendez, manager at Lee Transmission and Auto Repair, knows firsthand the damage potholes can cause.
"It cracked my rim. I had to get a new tire. Had to get a new rim. It was pretty bad," said Mendez.
Mendez explained that the cost of repairs can be significant if a vehicle hits a pothole.
"A lot of different things could happen. Mostly it'll be in your suspension, which is supposed to absorb the shock from any impact. You could see damage to control, arms, shocks, struts, the tire, obviously the rim," he said.
Mendez noted that while lower cars are more at risk, even higher vehicles can suffer damage. He advised drivers to get their cars checked if they suspect damage, as waiting could lead to more costly repairs.
WINK News reporter Bianca Smith contacted Lee County for comment. Representatives responded that the Lee County Department of Transportation maintains about 1,500 miles of roads in Lehigh Acres alone.
They provided some past news releases about a couple of those projects, here and here.
A full-time pothole repair crew from Lee DOT is assigned to Lehigh Acres. The timing of repairs can depend on many factors, including the size and location of the pothole. They said the number of recent pothole repairs is not immediately available.
For those who encounter potholes, there is an option to report them. You can request a pothole repair by completing the Request for Action Form. You can also contact the Lee County Department of Transportation at 239-533-9400 to let them know.