Two cities in Upstate New York have been named among the worst for potholes in America.
A new study by insurance comparison website Quote Wizard identified the cities and states with the biggest pothole problems. Potholes typically occur in winter and early spring when snow and ice melt, seep into the pavement, and then cause cracks in the road when they refreeze and expand during frequent temperature changes.
And those bumps in the road can lead to problems like flat tires, damage to wheel rims, disrupting the alignment or ruining a car’s shocks and struts. According to AAA, U.S. drivers spend nearly $3 billion annually to fix damage to their vehicles caused by potholes.
Washington state was named the worst in the nation for potholes, followed by Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio. New York state ranked 10th in the country.
Unsurprisingly, most of the worst cities for potholes are also in the north. Yakima, Washington, was named the worst, followed by Grand Junction, Colorado. The top 10 also included Burlington, Vermont; Springfield, Massachusetts; and Omaha, Nebraska.
Buffalo ranked 20th worst for potholes, and Albany came in at No. 25. No other Upstate New York cities made the list.
The rankings are based on Google data from pothole-related searches dating back to 2004.
The 25 worst cities for potholes:
1. Yakima, WA
2. Grand Junction, CO
3.Spokane, WA
4.Lafayette, IN
5. Seattle, WA
6.Burlington, VT
7. Reno, NV
8. Springfield, MA
9. Indianapolis, IN
10. Omaha, NE
11. Jackson, MS
12. Missoula, MT
13. Lansing, MI
14. Portland, OR
15. Topeka, KS
16. Fargo, ND
17. Detroit, MI
18. Colorado Springs, CO
19. Tucson, AZ
20. Buffalo, NY
21. Bangor, ME
22. Minneapolis, MN
23. Scranton, PA
24. Grand Rapids, MI
25. Albany, NY
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