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The Ghiorse Factor

NEW: Providence’s Growing Pothole Problem

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

GoLocalProv News Team

Many downtown Providence streets have become difficult to safely navigate due to the formation of potholes

If you've driven around Providence lately, you have likely dodged your fair share of potholes. Many of these gaping chasms in the road seem like they could swallow a vehicle whole.

Potholes are often the bane of drivers in Providence, especially during the winter, when weather conditions in the snowy, waterfront city make it easy for potholes to form. As the roads thaw and freeze, water builds up underneath the soil and weakens the pavement. As cars traverse back and forth, the pavement weakens until it cracks and comes dislodged, forming the potholes we have all come to know.

Somewhere Between Bridgeport and Baghdad

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When former State Representative and WPRO radio host John Loughlin was asked to comment on his on-air statement that the roads in Providence were in as poor condition as the roads he saw in Baghdad during the years he served in active duty in Iraq. "That statement is not correct," replied Loughlin, laughing. "The streets in Baghdad are in far better condition." Loughlin went on to call Baghdad's streets "infinitely better" than Providence's.

Though Providence drivers can complain of their fair share of bad roads, they are not amongst the very worst of any urban area in the nation. That dubious honor goes to Los Angeles, which was judged to have 64 percent of its roads in poor conditions in a study released by TRIP, a national transportation research group, in 2013. Connecticut cities Bridgeport and Stamford placed highest on the list in New England, with 51 percent of its roads said to be in poor condition. Nearby New Haven, Springfield, Boston, and Hartford all placed inside the top twenty.

What to Do if You Experience Car Damage

If you or your vehicle have sustained injury due to a pothole in Providence, you can file a claim for compensation with the City Clerk's office.. Claims must be completed within seven days after the date of the incident, as per Rhode Island law. Claims must be submitted along with copies of no less than two independent estimates of damage on the car, in addition to any other documents pertaining to the claim, including medical bills.

See out how to file a claim with the City Clerk here.

And to read more about the roads of Providence and the rest of New England, check out GoLocal's series on The Most Dangerous Intersections in New England right here.

Related Slideshow: 60 Most Dangerous Intersections in New England - 2014

Using the most recent available data, GoLocalProv has compiled a list of the Most Dangerous Intersections in New England.

See the methodology here

Since different states chose different time spans in which to accumulate their data (3-10 years), GoLocal standardized the tallies to a 3-year sum.

#60

Seymour, CT

Rt. 8 MM 18.58-18.81

Total Crashes: 11

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 5

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 6

Source: CT DOT

#59

Wethersfield, CT

Rt. 287 Mile Marker 1.58 (Near Rte 287 + Merritt Parkway)

Total Crashes: 22

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 16

Source: CT DOT

#58

Vernon, CT

Rt. 83 Mile Marker 11.80-11.89 (Route 83 + Route 30)

Total Crashes: 25

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 7

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 18

Source: CT DOT

#57

Hudson, NH

NH 111 (Ferry St.) + NH 3A (Chester St./Derry Rd.)

Total Crashes: 27.6

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 7.5

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 20.1

Source: NH DOT

#56

Tilton, NH

US 3 (Laconia Rd.) + NH 140 (Tilton Rd.)/1-93 NB Ex 20 Ramps)

Total Crashes: 20.7

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 8.7

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 12

Source: NH DOT

#55

Nashua, NH

Main St. + Canal St./Franklin St.

Total Crashes: 24.6

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 9.3

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 15.3

Photo: Flickr/Bettyx1138

Source: NH DOT

#54

Nashua, NH

Main St. + NH 111 (Spring St./Kinsley St.)

Total Crashes: 23.1

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 9.6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 13.5

Source: NH DOT

#53

Salem, NH

NH 28 (N/S Broadway) + NH 38/NH 97 (Main St.)

Total Crashes: 22.5

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 10.2

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 12.3

Source: NH DOT

#52

Bridgeport, CT

Rt. 127 Mile Marker 1.02 (Rte 127 + Stillman St)

Total Crashes: 18

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 11

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 7

Source: CT DOT

#51

Concord, NH

NH 9 (Loudon Rd.) + D'Amante Dr. (Steeplegate Mall)

Total Crashes: 21.6

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 10.5

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 11.1

Source: NH DOT

#50

Williston, VT

94 US-2 + VT-2A

Total Crashes: 43.8

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 8.4

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 38.4

Source: VT DOT

#49

Manchester, NH

Bridge St. + NH 285 (Beech St.)

Total Crashes: 20.7

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 12.6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 8.1

Source: NH DOT

#48

Concord, NH

NH 9 (Loudon Rd.) + Fort Eddy Rd./I-93 NB Ex 14 Off-Ramp

Total Crashes: 29.4

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 11.7

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 17.7

Source: NH DOT

#47

Berlin, VT

23 VT-62 + Berlin State Highway: Fisher Rd.

Total Crashes: 37.2

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 10.2

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 30

Source: VT DOT

#46

Bridgeport, CT

Rt. 127 Mile Marker .64 (Rte 127 + Barnum Ave)

Total Crashes: 31

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 12

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 19

Source: CT DOT

#45

Nashua, NH

Main St. + East Hollis St./West Hollis St.

Total Crashes: 24.9

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 14.1

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 10.8

Source: NH DOT

#44

Burlington, VT

11 US-7 + Main St., US-2

Total Crashes: 49.2

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 10.2

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 42

Source: VT DOT

#43

Waterbury, CT

Rt. 69 MM 18.39-18.49

Total Crashes: 55

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 14

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 41

Source: CT DOT

#42

Portland, ME

Fort Ave., Hartley St. + Forest Ave., Holly St.

Total Crashes: 45

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 21

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 23

Source: ME DOT

#41

Portland, ME

Fore River Pkwy. + Valley St., W. Commercial St.

Total Crashes: 64

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 18

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 46

Source: ME DOT

#40

Manchester, NH

NH 285 (Beech St.) + Cilley Rd.

Total Crashes: 20.4

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 23.4

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 8.7

Source: NH DOT

#39

Portland, ME

Allen Ave., Entrance to McDonalds + Z Rd., Forest Ave.

Total Crashes: 58

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 20

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 38

Source: ME DOT

#38

Westbrook, ME

Cumberland St. + Warren Ave.

Total Crashes: 83

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 17

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 66

Source: ME DOT

#37

Wallingford, CT

Rt. 5 MM 9.35-9.36

Total Crashes: 51

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 22

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 29

Source: CT DOT

#36

Berkshire, VT

4 FAS 0302, FAS 0307 + Town Rd. 0004

Total Crashes: 3.6

Fatal Crashes: 0.6

Injury Crashes: 3.6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 0.6

Source: VT DOT

#35

Williston, VT

67 US-2 + Industrial Ave.

Total Crashes: 20.4

Fatal Crashes: 0.6

Injury Crashes: 3

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 18

Photo: Flickr/Craig O'Neal

Source: VT DOT

#34

Augusta, ME

Memorial Circle + Western Ave.

Total Crashes: 107

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 19

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 88

Source: ME DOT

#33

Burlington, VT

35 Main St. + St. Paul St.

Total Crashes: 18

Fatal Crashes: 0.6

Injury Crashes: 4.8

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 13.2

Source: VT DOT

#32

Hartford, VT

7 US-5 + VT-14, US-4

Total Crashes: 31.8

Fatal Crashes: 0.6

Injury Crashes: 3.6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 28.2

Source: VT DOT

#31

Burlington, VT

5 Colchester Ave. + Barrett St.

Total Crashes: 20.4

Fatal Crashes: 0.6

Injury Crashes: 5.4

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 15

Source: VT DOT

#30

Augusta, ME

Bangor St. + Cony Circle, Cony St.

Total Crashes: 126

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 19

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 106

Photo: Flickr/Peter Gene

Source: ME DOT

#29

Winooski City, VT

2 US-7, E. Canal St. + W. Allen St., VT-15, W. Center St.

Total Crashes: 103.2

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 22.8

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 86.4

Source: VT DOT

#28

Augusta, ME

Ramp off to Western Ave. + Western Ave.

Total Crashes: 99

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 26

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 73

Source: ME DOT

#27

Lowell, MA

Bridge St. + Veterans of Foreign Wars Highway

Total Crashes: 112

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 34

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 78

Photo: Flickr/Peter Gene

Source: MA DOT

#26

Hartford, CT

Rt. 44 Mile Marker 53.63 (Route 44 & Main St)

Total Crashes: 129

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 38

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 91

Source: CT DOT

#25

Holyoke, MA

Holyoke St. + Holyoke Mall at Ingleside

Total Crashes: 198

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 29

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 169

Source: MA DOT

#24

Lowell, MA

Veterans of Foreign Wars Highway + Varnum Ave.

Total Crashes: 165

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 37

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 128

Source: MA DOT

#23

Lewiston, ME

Old Greene Rd. + Randall Rd., Sabattus St.

Total Crashes: 33

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 9

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 23

Photo: Flickr/Perthhdproductions

Source: ME DOT

#22

Bangor, ME

Broadway, Hobart St. + Broadway, Burleigh Rd., Griffin Rd.

Total Crashes: 33

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 13

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 19

Photo: Flickr/Ajimaxx

Source: ME DOT

#21

Rutland City, VT

47 US-7 + US-4

Total Crashes: 40.2

Fatal Crashes: 1.2

Injury Crashes: 6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 35.4

Photo: Flickr/Doug Kerr

Source: VT DOT

#20

Cambridge, MA

Massachusetts Ave. + Vassar St.

Total Crashes: 41

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 19

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 21

Photo: Flickr/The_th

Source: MA DOT

#19

Worcester, MA

Main St. + Mill St.

Total Crashes: 53

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 18

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 34

Photo: Flickr/jburwen

Source: MA DOT

#18

Holyoke, MA

Main St. + Cabot St.

Total Crashes: 57

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 18

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 38

Photo: Flickr/Nanypinya

Source: MA DOT

#17

Waltham, MA

Main St. + Lyman St.

Total Crashes: 73

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 18

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 54

Source: MA DOT

#16

Bridgton, ME

Portland Rd., Willis Park Rd. + Portland Rd., Sandy Creek Rd.

Total Crashes: 20

Fatal Crashes: 2

Injury Crashes: 6

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 12

Photo: Flickr/gillicious

Source: ME DOT

#15

Lincoln, RI

Interstate 295 + Exit 9 (RI 146)

Total Crashes: 160

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 36

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 123

Photo: Flickr/Doug Kerr

Source: RI DOT

#14

Stoughton, MA

Canton St. + School St.

Total Crashes: 39

Fatal Crashes: 2

Injury Crashes: 10

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 27

Photo: Flickr/Peter Gene

Source: MA DOT

#13

Chelsea, MA

Revere Beach Pkwy. + Washington Ave.

Total Crashes: 39

Fatal Crashes: 2

Injury Crashes: 11

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 26

Photo: Flickr/Bettyx1138

Source: MA DOT

#12

Warwick, RI

RI 37 + US 1 (Post Rd.)

Total Crashes: 293

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 69

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 224

Photo: Flickr/eliduke

Source: RI DOT

#11

North Smithfield, RI

RI 146 + Sayles Hill Rd.

Total Crashes: 193

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 37

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 155

Source: RI DOT

#10

Warwick, RI

Interstate 95 + Exit 14 (RI 37)/Exit 15 (Jefferson Blvd.)

Total Crashes: 181

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 50

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 130

Photo: Flickr/ER24 EMS (Pty) Ltd.

Source: RI DOT

#9

Johnston, RI

Interstate 295 + Exit 6 (US 6/US 6A)

Total Crashes: 179

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 54

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 124

Photo: Flickr/Doug Kerr

Source: RI DOT

#8

Cranston, RI

RI 2 Reservoir Ave. + RI 12 (Park Ave.)

Total Crashes: 234

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 47

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 186

Source: RI DOT

#7

Hopkinton, RI

RI 138 (Spring St.) + Wincheck Pond Rd. to Soap House Ln.

Total Crashes: 4

Fatal Crashes: 3

Injury Crashes: 0

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 1

Source: RI DOT

#6

Middletown, CT

Rt. 17 MM 21.55-22.14

Total Crashes: 372

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 107

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 265

Source: CT DOT

#5

Charlestown, RI

US Post Rd. SB + Kings Factory Rd. to RI 216 (Ross Hill Rd.)

Total Crashes: 51

Fatal Crashes: 3

Injury Crashes: 8

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 40

Source: RI DOT

#4

Providence, RI

Interstate 95 + Exit 18 (Thurbers Ave.)

Total Crashes: 296

Fatal Crashes: 1

Injury Crashes: 79

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 216

Source: RI DOT

#3

Somerville, MA

Mystic Ave. + Fellsway

Total Crashes: 91

Fatal Crashes: 3

Injury Crashes: 24

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 64

Source: MA DOT

#2

Pawtucket, RI

Interstate 95 + Exit 29 (US 1/Broadway/Cottage St.)

Total Crashes: 191

Fatal Crashes: 2

Injury Crashes: 55

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 134

Source: RI DOT

#1

New Haven, CT

Merritt Parkway Mile Marker 46.42-47.03

Total Crashes: 561

Fatal Crashes: 0

Injury Crashes: 125

Crashes with Property Damage Only: 436

Source: CT DOT

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