PORTLAND, Ore. — Drivers are now dealing with the damage from a pothole on a lane of Interstate 205 southbound after an estimated 40 cars were "potentially damaged" on Monday, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).
One driver shared videos with KGW from Monday night, describing the pothole on I-205 in the West Linn area around 99E and the Abernethy Bridge as "a hazardous situation due to an unsecured 7-inch-deep hole."
In the videos, a line of cars is seen pulled over to the side of I-205 with flashing lights. The viewer said it was because drivers experienced tire blowouts. He told KGW he nearly lost control of his vehicle after hitting the pothole.
ODOT said crews temporarily repaired the pothole with a cold patch Monday night, and it would conduct a longer fix on Tuesday. The agency said it was closing the left southbound lane Tuesday afternoon between exits eight and nine into the evening rush hour commute to repair the pothole.
Another driver, Genalee Page of Tigard said she also hit the same pothole on Monday night, resulting in two flat tires and bent rims.
"My daughter was with me, so the potential of hitting a pothole that big at 55 miles per hour was extra scary," said Page.
Page also said due to the high volume of other drivers requesting tow trucks due to the damage, it would have taken her an estimated six hours for a tow.
"I was one of the lucky ones to an extent, since my son lives at the next exit. He was able to put enough air in them to drive it a few miles very slowly to his house," said Page. "We ended up parking it in his garage and waiting until the next day for the tow truck."
ODOT asked those who experienced damage from the pothole and that they should direct questions regarding reimbursement to Risk Management at the Oregon Department of Administrative Services.
Page said that she is still waiting to hear back regarding the estimated cost to replace both her wheels and tires on her new 2023 car. She also said she filled a claim with the state for reimbursement.
Drivers are asked to expect delays and to use alternative routes if possible. ODOT also suggested drives to slow down and watch out for highway workers.
Download the KGW News app: Download for iPhone here | Download for Android here
Stream newscasts for free on KGW+ on Roku and Amazon Fire: How to add app to your device here
See a typo in this article? Email web@kgw.com for corrections.