CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Residents of Mediterranean Road on the Southside grow increasingly frustrated with persistent potholes that make daily commutes feel like navigating an obstacle course. With more rain expected in the coming days, the situation is bound to get worse.
"Coming around the curve, you slide like this, and that’s going 25 miles per hour," local resident Carl Schrot said.
His frustration is shared by many others, who reported that the road’s steady erosion has become a major inconvenience—especially during rainstorms."Even with a little rain, it just erodes the road... and it’s terrible for the cars around here," another local resident Lindsey Mayeux said.
For years, residents like Donna and Kim have watched the road deteriorate, calling it "pitiful" and in dire need of repair. The damage is not only frustrating but also raises serious safety concerns, particularly for drivers unfamiliar with the area.
Manuel Hernandez, Assistant Director of Street Operations for the city’s Public Works Department, said that pothole complaints surge dramatically during rain events.
"Typically, during rain events, our pothole calls go through the roof... We see an extra 20 to 30 calls a day," Hernandez explained.
The underlying cause of the persistent potholes? Hernandez points to water accumulation.
"Water piles on the asphalt, and when trucks go over it, it creates a plunger effect, causing the road material to come up and form a pothole," he said.
Currently, seven city crews are working to repair the damage. Each pothole costs the city around $15 to fix, depending on its size. However, the financial impact on drivers is far greater.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), U.S. drivers collectively spend around $3 billion annually on vehicle repairs due to road damage, with the average repair bill coming in at approximately $300.
Schrot has already felt the toll on his vehicle. "Seems like my steering is off a bit… shouldn’t be, because I have new tires," he said, attributing the issue to the potholes.
As city crews continue to patch the road, residents are hopeful for a more lasting solution to the ongoing pothole problem.
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