East side pothole continues to deepen, threatening businesses

LATEST: The Indianapolis Department of Public Works spokesman issued a statement on Tuesday after this story aired: “Indy DPW has filled this pothole on at least six occasions over the last few years. Our stormwater team inspected the area earlier this year to determine if persistent standing water was the cause of the recurring pothole. It was determined that pavement rehabilitation was necessary to improve drainage and prevent further potholes from forming. The area is currently being assessed for pavement rehabilitation work that is already programmed to take place.“

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A pothole that seems to be getting bigger by the day on the city’s east side still has not been fixed after a year of complaints.

This is the third time since the summer of 2022 that News 8 reported on the huge pothole on Forest Avenue and East Washington Street. I-Team 8 spoke with business owners who are fed up and expressed concern as the lack of action by the city threatens to swallow their livelihood.

• Enormous pothole impacts businesses on Indianapolis east side
• Enormous pothole returns months after Public Works repairs

Mike Coble the owner of a warehouse on Forest Avenue described to I-Team 8 a recent conversation he had with the Department of Public Works.

“One time they told me it had already been fixed,“ Coble said. “I pulled out my phone. I go, here is a video, and here’s pictures. You are telling me this has been fixed.”

On June 10, 2022, 20 tons of gravel was poured into the pothole. The company that paid for the gravel asked I-Team 8 not to disclose their name.

The gravel was a last-ditch effort to fill the hole, and at the time, there were three open service requests for it to be filled that had not been completed. DPW told I-Team 8 that filling potholes on your own is not a good idea. However, the pothole was swallowing business, and delivery drivers refused to come down the road out of concern of getting stuck.

Charley Powers, president of Quality Fabricated Solutions, depends on the road and had called I-Team 8 for help.  

“I know that is not my place,” Powers told I-Team 8 in June 2022. “ So, I personally would never do that, but if it means we can continue to operate and somebody else did it then great.”  

The gravel lasted about a month before the pothole opened back up. I-Team 8 was told in late summer of last year, DPW had filled the hole with asphalt, and within six months the hole was back bigger and deeper.

In January, cameras captured an IndyGo vehicle attempting to cross-navigate the pothole and nearly got stuck. At the time Sydney Powers, who works down the street said she had reported to pothole to DPW several times and the department had opened a file.

“A couple of weeks later, they would close it with no change. They just closed the case and moved on,” Powers said.

Fast forward to today, drivers that use the road on a daily basis have found ways around the pothole. It is common for eastbound Washington Street traffic to change lanes to avoid the growing pothole. 

Coble says he has tenants threatening to move because of the condition of the street. 

“I had one tenant say he could lose a huge portion of his business because semi’s, his customers are refusing to go through that pothole anymore,” he said.

Coble has called the city and says he is getting the run-around. The Department of Public Works sent a statement Tuesday afternoon

Indy DPW has filled this pothole on at least six occasions over the last few years. Our stormwater team inspected the area earlier this year to determine if persistent standing water was the cause of the recurring pothole. It was determined that pavement rehabilitation was necessary to improve drainage and prevent further potholes from forming. The area is currently being assessed for pavement rehabilitation work that is already programmed to take place.