We sent reporter Dakota Bruton out to take photos of potholes. She found this one on Gatesville Road and placed her phone inside of it to take the photo of a car next to the pothole.
We sent reporter Dakota Bruton out to take photos of potholes. She found this one on Gatesville Road and placed her phone inside of it to take the photo of a car next to the pothole.
We sent reporter Dakota Bruton out to take photos of potholes. She found this one on Upper Salt Creek Road and placed her phone inside of it to take the photo of a car next to the pothole.
Upper Salt Creek Road
Potholes can be a daily occurrence for some Brown County residents.
They happen when areas of the road or asphalt have worn down enough to either crack or create a hole — or possibly because of the freezing – thawing cycle we see this time of year. Whatever the reason, it is important to know who has the proper resources for road management.
Indiana Department of Transportation Seymour district is responsible for State Roads 46, 135 and 45.
“INDOT crews actively monitor for potholes as they come up,” Indiana Department of Transportation Public Relations Director Sidney Nierman said. “As they see them or as they pop up, the crews repair them. They do drive those roadways to get a good idea of what they need and then make repairment plans from there.”
Nierman also said that people can call Indiana Department of Transportation to report potholes that have not been repaired at (855) INDOT4U.
The roads in Nashville are handled separately from the state roads or county roads. The Town of Nashville Street Superintendent Jamie Sichting is responsible for all of the roads within the town.
“I patch the potholes when they come up,” Sichting said.
If you ever see someone patching potholes in Nashville, it is most likely him.
Sichting said that he is the one who typically patches them, unless they have hired a paving crew with extra materials. There are only a couple of potholes he is focused on currently, but he is waiting for warmer weather to patch them.
“If you go out and do it when it’s cold they keep coming up,” Sichting said. “It’s better to wait and get all your materials together and then go at one time.”
He said that they struggle with funding and are currently in discussion with the town council about potential funding for future projects. For reporting potholes in Nashville, people are encouraged to call the town hall at (812) 988-5526.
If a pothole is large enough, it can inflict serious damage onto vehicles. Nierman recommends that anyone who receives damage to their vehicle from a pothole on a state road to call INDOT to let the crew know what happened. INDOT will send out a tort claim document which is imperative to complete for people looking to be reimbursed.
The Brown County Highway Department is responsible for the other roads in the county. The Democrat reached out to Michael Magner at the Brown County Highway Department, but he declined comment.
