GETTING ANSWERS: Doris Avenue

Published: Mar. 17, 2022 at 6:35 PM EDT
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ANDERSON, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Doris Avenue is only a quarter-of-a-mile long with about four houses on it, but we received five requests to check it out.

It sits between Highway 29 and Business 29, in the Homeland Park area. There is a gaping pothole at the intersection of Visage Drive we’ve been getting complaints about.

Gilberto Gonzalez is fed up with it.

“It has been a nightmare ever since it started,” said Gonzalez.

Hallie Eldering tries to avoid the hole.

“When you have to drive over it, it’s like you’re going down a mini-ramp and up the other side,” Eldering said, “And it jiggles everything. My car rattles when I do it.”

Eldering says, sometimes, it’s not even worth the drive.

“It’s just aggravating trying to go to the store to get groceries, because you damage your car on the way there,” Eldering continues, “And with the prices of things, nowadays, you just can’t afford to get stuff fixed.”

We couldn’t find a driver around who didn’t have their own experience with the pothole, like Robert Holder.

“That pothole—it’s pretty deep, right now. And it needs to be replaced and fixed,” Holder said, “And maybe that one spot, but the other part of road needs fixing too; not just it.”

The community wants it gone.

“Please, please, please, come out here and do something so we can keep our vehicles in good condition,” said Eldering.

When we reached out to Anderson County, they acted swiftly. They tell us, within a few hours, crews filled the potholes. Gonzalez was hoping for something more.

“That’s just a Band-Aid. That don’t work. They’re not only putting Band-Aid’s on it, but they’re wasting taxpayers’ money,” Gonzalez said, “And, right now, money is not easy to come by; price of gas is taking most of my tax dollars going up.”

County Roads and Bridges did pave around the bad areas on both ends. The department tells me they have an app where drivers can report potholes called ACSC Gov. Before we got in touch with them, the say no one had reported Doris Avenue’s potholes or any car damage, for that matter.

“Get rid of them. Get rid of the potholes,” said Gonzalez, “Put a fix that will be permanent, because they come and put a Band-Aid. And it only lasts two or three days, or maximum a week. The first time it rains, we get the same problem; except it’s not the same problem, it’s a bigger problem.”

After a week passed, the pavement seemed to be holding up fine thus far, despite the recent rain showers. The county says Doris Avenue was last paved in the late 80′s. They say it’s in good condition compared to other roads in Anderson County, but they could look into paving it in the next five years; which is exactly what holder is waiting for.

“Stop using cheap tar and stuff. Stop just patching the holes and replace the whole road,” said Holder.

Anderson County Roads and Bridges Department says once you report a pothole to their app, they usually get to it within a few days, if not faster. Download it for Apple or Google Play.

Report a roadway to FOX Carolina here.