BALTIMORE — Baltimore’s deteriorating roads are leaving some drivers with costly repair bills, and records obtained through a public information request show getting reimbursed by the city is unlikely.
Of the 230 vehicle damage claims filed last year related to road conditions, just 24 were approved. 110 were denied, while 96 remain undecided. That means about 4 out of 5 resolved claims were denied.
The city's Law Department says it takes an average of 154 day, or about five months, to resolve a claim. However, 30 percent of claims filed in 2024 still have not been decided.
Rick Jones learned firsthand how costly Baltimore's roads can be. A few weeks ago, he hit a pothole in Irvington, knocking his car out of alignment.
"It wouldn't go straight. I let go the steering wheel, it pulled to the right, and that's when I knew it was messed up," Jones said.
The repair cost him $325. Because the bill is less than his insurance deductible, Jones is considering filing a claim with the city, but he has not done so yet because of the documentation the city requires.
"I feel as though I should have got reimbursed for that because, you know, it was a pothole, it wasn't on my part," Jones said.
The city says claims are denied if it did not have notice of the defect before the incident, which it says is longstanding state law.
Jo Anne Stull is another driver dealing with the consequences of Baltimore's deteriorating roads. She recently blew out a tire on the JFX.
"Pothole after pothole and you're trying to avoid it, but you're in a ramp. You don't really have a lot of room to go. And the last one I hit," Stull said.
According to a report by the nonprofit TRIP, Baltimore drivers lose more than $3,000 a year due to deteriorating roads, traffic delays, and crashes. The report also found 41 percent of Baltimore's major roads are in poor condition, compared to 30 percent statewide.
Drivers can file a claim with their insurance company after road-related damage, but many worry it could affect their rates and turn to the city for reimbursement instead.
Records show the average payout for approved vehicle damage claims over the last three years ranged from about $350 to $800. The city’s largest vehicle damage payout during that time was roughly $6,500.
The city recently announced a new repaving initiative with plans to pave and resurface more than 90 miles of roadway. But Transportation Director Veronica McBeth says the city lacks funding for some of its busiest corridors.
"It doesn't mean that we don't see I-83 or I-295 as a priority, but in order to maintain and deal with large, huge infrastructure projects that are aging infrastructure, it requires a predictable level of funding and a larger amount of funding which we don't have," McBeth said.
READ MORE: DOT director: Baltimore has no plans to repave I-83, no timeline for change
Jones says the city can do better.
"I know it ain't no easy job, but I think we deserve a little bit better than, you know, how you got to ride through the city," Jones said.
Drivers have one year to file a claim. Claims must be hand-delivered or sent by certified mail and require documentation such as photos, receipts, estimates, and in some cases a police report. Click here for more information on the claims process and to submit one.
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