Potholes and scattered pavement have Hamden residents fed up

HAMDEN – Potholes are a rising issue for Hamden residents as they continue to experience car accidents, tires popping and skidding to avoid the large openings in the streets.

Although Hamden officials advise public works employees to fill potholes year-round, the concerns voiced by citizens has grown over the years because of an increase in tire damage.

Another concern amongst residents is the holes flooding with water after storms, as well as the threat they pose to joggers and bicyclists when cars swerve to avoid the holes.

Quinnipiac University student, Nicolas Arcaroli, lives down the street from the school and deals with avoiding the dangerous potholes daily.

“Turning onto our street… you have to make sure you turn very slowly, otherwise your car can easily blow a tire,” said Arcaroli.

These holes are seen in residential areas, as well as on the main road of the Quinnipiac Mount Carmel campus.

“Another spot where I noticed was New Road…right next to campus when you’re passing the Jewish center. That whole street almost has potholes the entire way. You have to go very slow and then you keep going down the street, and when you get to the bridge the potholes are even worse,” said Arcaroli.

(New Road bridge near the Quinnipiac University Mount Carmel campus.)

Quinnipiac officials have stated in the past that since the roads are government property, they can’t do anything to help solve this problem other than have students report it to town hall.

Although making a complaint to town hall is beneficial, the office is becoming swamped with requests to fix these potholes.

Alternatively, the website See-Click-Fix allows residents to post requests for damage to be fixed.

(Screenshot from SeeClickFix.com)

The first step to getting rid of the potholes is to temporarily fill them. However, the tar that the town of Hamden is using to fill these potholes is no use for the hundreds of cars driving over the roads every day. The broken pieces appear on many streets in the town and are not a permanent solution to this growing problem.

(Broken pothole on a Hamden street.)

Residents like Arcaroli suggest that the town should tear up the most hazardous roads and repave them.

“The only thing I’ve seen the town do is fill it up a tiny bit, not re-do the whole road like it should be done,” said Arcaroli.

If the holes are left alone then they will keep popping the tires of cars driving by or continue to cause accidents to those attempting to avoid the gaps.

Copy Written by Robyn Karashik