We frequently hear from the WA State government about transportation “packages” every session in the legislature, but a new study could make you wonder where the money is going.
USA Today ranks WA state as the worst in the US for potholes
The study, which was released by the USA Today Blueprint Team, shows WA state ranks worst in the US for pothole problems.
According to data released by AAA, and based upon 2020-2023 Google Trends, WA state ranks worst in the US, with a rating of 69.25 on the Google Trends Index Average.
The data is based on searches for pothole-related topics (such as how much damage they cause, how costly to repair your car, etc). According to USA Today, pothole data is not cataloged on a state or national basis. individual cities sometimes keep data, but not on a larger scale.
WA sees the most searches on the topic
Three WA cities also ranked in the top 20 for worst pothole problems, Spokane was #6, Yakima #7, and Seattle #9. AAA and USA claim the average repair to a car that suffers pothole damage is up to $457.
The most common damage caused by hitting a deep or large pothole includes suspension tie rods, knocking the car out of alignment to the point where a wheel is noticeably angled badly, and damage to tires and wheels.
If the pothole is deep enough, a car can even sustain undercarriage damage. Michigan, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Indiana round out the top five.
Oregon landed at 31 and Idaho at 42nd. As for cities, Portland was at 32, no other PNW major metro area made the top 50 list.
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Gallery Credit: Sarah Jones