Across Indianapolis, drivers are grinding their teeth as repair bills stack up and neighborhood streets start to feel like obstacle courses. Temporary patches are buying only short-term relief, and while crews scramble to get ahead of new craters, many residents say they want quicker, longer lasting fixes. The mess is sending some straight to repair shops and ratcheting up pressure on the city to speed up permanent work.
Public Works ramps up patching
The Department of Public Works says it has patched more than 46,000 potholes since Jan. 1 and has roughly 230 crews on the streets after boosting pothole funding by $10 million. Residents told reporters they have been shelling out hundreds of dollars for tire and wheel repairs, with one man saying he has had two flats so far at about $300 each. DPW spokesman Adam Pinsker said the department is using cold-mix asphalt for now and expects hot mix "in the next few days," when strip patching will begin, according to WISH-TV.
Mechanics and drivers feeling the pain
Local repair shops report a steady stream of cars limping in with flats, bent wheels and suspension problems after encounters with cratered streets. DPW filled more than 5,600 potholes in the first week of 2026, WRTV reported. Shop owners say customers are coming in multiple times a day for tire and alignment work, a reminder that every rough stretch of road can turn into a real hit to household budgets.
Why repairs can be temporary
For now, many fixes are designed to be temporary. Cold-mix asphalt is essentially a stopgap, since asphalt plants typically will not produce hot mix until temperatures consistently climb above roughly 40°F. That delay limits how quickly crews can lay down more durable repairs, Axios Indianapolis explains. To get a pothole on the city’s radar, officials ask residents to call the Mayor’s Action Center or use the RequestIndy portal, and to hang on to photos and receipts if they plan to file a damage claim.
What comes next
DPW says crews will shift to wider strip patching and full resurfacing as soon as hot mix becomes available, though drivers and neighborhood groups are already pushing for faster, more permanent fixes. If your car takes a hit, city officials recommend documenting the damage and contacting the Mayor’s Action Center. DPW has reported filling tens of thousands of potholes this season, according to WRTV.
