Post-storm potholes causing car damage throughout island

HONOLULU (KHON2) — City and State crews are making their rounds patching up potholes during Friday’s clearer sky, a large pothole near the Pali Hwy exit on the H-1 needed immediate work.

Department of Transportation Communications Manager Shelly Kunishige said, “It’s a pothole that we’ve received a lot of complaints and we know it’s causing damage.”

Several drivers slowed down when approaching large potholes but some on Oahu’s Windward side were caught by surprise.

Kaneone resident Joni Kamiya said, several cars were damaged by a large pothole on Kaneohe Bay Drive.

“I could hear thump, thump, thump and I could hear hub caps flying and pieces of cars flying,” said Kamiya. “I saw a bunch of cars with massive flats just totally destroyed by that pothole.”

The City said it has received 37 pothole reports from the community in the last few days.

Drivers can report potholes to the City’s Department of Facility Maintenance and file a claim for damages.

While the state has its pothole report phone line, (808) 536-7852.

Claims for damages on state roads would go to the Department of Accounting and General Services.

“In general the larger roads, freeways, highways, anything connecting neighborhoods would be us,” said Kunishige. “And then the roads within the neighborhoods themselves would be the residential areas would be City.”

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The state’s DOT said if residents are not sure if the road is the State’s or County’s responsibility, they can simply report it to either one and the complaint will be sent to the proper agency.