We’ve Got a Pothole Problem - Who Pays the Bill?

There’s no doubt about it, Minnesota’s pothole problem is much worse this spring than in years past. Minnesotans are swerving all over the place to avoid potholes that can easily cause damage to their car. So what happens if you blow a tire or lose your bumper? Who pays that price? Unfortunately, it’s you, not the government you give taxes to in order to maintain the roads.

Now we are certainly not asking the government to control the weather, but one of its basic functions is providing safe roads. And when the roads are not adequate, the government should have to pay the price, but rarely do damage claims result in reimbursement. 

Magdalena Franco, a Bloomington teacher who lives in West St. Paul was changing lanes on I-494 near France Avenue when she hit a pothole, according to a report by KSTP. She knew something was wrong when her car began making a consistent clanking noise. Turns out Franco needed four new parts for her car because of the pothole, which came out to $1,205.81.She quickly filed a tort claim with the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) but received a non-response. The state agency claimed that because it “had no knowledge of this pothole prior to [the] incident” it did not have to pay. This is an unrealistic expectation, but did you expect much more from government bureaucracy? 

In 2022, 140 tort claims were made for pothole damage. Just eight individuals received reimbursement. So far in 2023, Minnesotans have made at least 400 claims. MNDOT does not yet know how many people got their money back, but based on Magdalena Franco’s experience, we’re going to guess it’s slim to none. 

So, Minnesotans, keep on swerving those potholes and report them to MNDOT! Don’t get fooled by bureaucracy. Do everything you can to stop you from having to pay the government’s bill!