Massive potholes on northwest side of Indianapolis worry businesses, residents

INDIANAPOLIS — Massive craters on Indianapolis’ northwest side are drawing growing concern from business owners and residents as the city’s department of public works struggles to keep up with thousands of pothole repair requests.

Hidden beneath collected rainwater on Kevin Way lies a series of dangerous chuckholes that residents indicated have been causing problems since February. One of the craters measures about 10.5 feet long, though the biggest concern is a tight cluster near the intersection of busy 38th Street.

“If somebody hit that chuckhole at say 20 mph, they could propel themselves out past the intersection of 38th into a car and cause a hell of an accident,” said Eagledale resident Jim Borror.

Borror has been taking matters into his own hands in an effort to prevent disaster. He began placing cones there after making several reports to the city, worried not only about the damage to cars he’s already seen towed away, but drivers’ safety.

“Those cones, if I hadn’t put them in there, those holes would’ve already swallowed up hundreds of cars,” Borror said.

A spokesperson for Indy DPW claims the intersection is on the department’s radar and will be addressed as soon as weather permits. The agency noted that this has been an unusually busy pothole season, with about 11,000 more repair requests compared to this time last year.

So far in 2025, Indy DPW has received 26,000 pothole requests and resolved around 18,000 — leaving thousands of potentially hazardous holes still scattered around Indianapolis.

“I’m fed up, I’m not going to lie,” said Rashaad Skinner, a salesman at an area car dealership.

Skinner reported that the road has looked the same since the day he started at the dealership.

“Even buying a new car — say a customer just drove off and they accidentally hit a big pothole. Then, it’s going to come back on us. Not on us, technically, this just shouldn’t be right here, honestly,” Skinner said.

Other businesses in the area share the same concern for their customers as Skinner does.

“You see cars swerving trying to go around that chuckhole and almost hit other vehicles that are oncoming, so it does become a little scary when there’s a chance for a fatal accident right there on that corner,” said Adam Kim, an employee at Yong’s Audio. “If they could somehow figure out a way to get these roads taken care of, that would help business and help people save their cars for sure.”

Northwest Indianapolis residents said dozens of pothole reports have been filed over the past several months. An Indy DPW spokesperson said they hope for cooperative weather so crews will be able to fix the holes soon.

The city’s online pothole viewer is currently unavailable. Indy DPW was unable to provide an update on when it will be back in service. Residents can still report potholes through the Mayor’s Action Center.

Additionally, according to Indy DPW:

• Pothole crews have put in 10-hour days on 16 occasions since March
• This year, crews have dropped nearly 4,800 tons of mix, 3,800 tons of which is hot mix
• Hot mix wasn’t readily available for the season until March 4
• Crews have filled about 239,000 potholes across the city so far in 2025