The cold temperatures in February took their toll on area roads, and now the drivers are playing dodgeball with the potholes. When dodging isn’t successful, there can be a flat tire, a bent rim, or even worse for area drivers.
Daniel Martinez writes up the repair tickets all day at Power Tire on LaFayette Boulevard in Fredericksburg.
“They said they hit a pothole,” he said. “Basically the suspension of the car, they get messed up quick from the potholes,” he said. Some of the racy cars have a “low profile.” Tires that are easily damaged. “Cracked rims we see, especially when they have low profile tires,” Martinez said.
It’s much of the same over at Firestone Tires said service manager Debbie Smeragulioulo. “We have people coming in here telling me they just hit a pothole,” she said. “A lot of them damage the rims,” she added.
The rims, tires, shock absorbers, ball joints, and tie rods take the hit, and the price tag can get pretty high. Most of the time, the bill is paid out of pocket or through insurance. It’s tough to say who’s fault it is. Depending on the location, both VDOT and the City of Fredericksburg deal with the potholes.
During the colder months, the city relies on a cold patch material until a permanent repair can be made. Once the pothole is reported, the city shop team typically addresses the situation within the same day of the report or within a few days at most. “Repairs are prioritized based on urgency and overall need,” said Sonja Cantu, the City of Fredericksburg communications manager.
The Virginia Department of Transportation also fills potholes as a priority. Crews focus first on patching potholes on roads that carry the most traffic, including interstates, primary roads, and high-volume secondary roads, followed by lower-volume secondary roads and subdivision streets.
Since January 1, 2025, VDOT crews have patched 2,751 potholes on state-maintained primary and secondary roads in the Fredericksburg area, which includes roads in the counties of Caroline, King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford, said VDOT spokeswoman Kelly Hannon.
On Interstate 95, VDOT’s interstate maintenance contractor patched 997 potholes in the Fredericksburg area between mile markers 101-148 in January- February 2025.
The drivers can help, though. In downtown Fredericksburg, report potholes at 540-372-1023 or under Public Works on the city website. If reporting them through VDOT, go to
Click or call the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Customer Service Center at 800-367-7623 24/7.
