Chicago Potholes Mean Booming Business For Auto Repair Shops, Backlog Of Damage Claims For City

Potholes A Boon For Repair Shops And A Bane For City Budget

As Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's war on potholes continues apace, area auto repair shops are enjoying a windfall from the roughed-up roads.

Speaking to several auto repair shops in the nearby suburbs, CBS Chicago reports businesses are already generating a backlog of work making car repairs, writing estimates and working with insurance companies.

Fox Chicago noted that cars were swerving to avoid the "humongous" potholes on the city's streets and that the flat tires and slow zones have created rush hour headaches in addition to vehicle damage.

City officials say motorists who get busted by a Chicago pothole may be eligible for compensation. The City Clerk’s office told CBS Chicago nearly a hundred claims for flat tires and other damage to cars poured in over the past week.

Patrick Corcoran with the City Clerk’s office says car owners seeking compensation should head to the office's website with information including "the date, time and location of the incident and a paid receipt or two estimates for the damage repairs" in tow.

The City Council’s Finance Committee then takes up the claims and has a staff that can keep car owners updated on the status of their claim -- though Corcoran notes it could take "a while" to see any money.

As bumpy as the Windy City roads may be, they weren't quite as perilous as some in nearby Lake County, Ind.

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