Potholes herald the arrival of spring every year. When you see birds digging for worms, you know that the ground has warmed up enough to make the pavement break up.

Road repair

• City of Ann Arbor: Street maintenance services: potholes. For pothole repair, you may send in an online request or call 734-99-HOLES.
• Washtenaw County Road Commission: Contact us.  Business hours: 734.761.1500. After hours emergency: 734.668.3282.
• MDOT. Report a pothole. MDOT only repairs potholes on state trunklines. These are freeways with M, I, or US designations (for example: I-94, M-14, US-23). Call 888-296-4546.

In the news

• Pothole proliferation: Warming trend creates bumpy road for Ann Arbor area motorists, Ann Arbor News, February 10, 2009

Gerald Philipp of Ann Arbor was driving on Plymouth Road just east of Huron Parkway at about 6 p.m. Sunday when his car hit a massive pothole.

• MATT HELMS Pothole damage? You're basically sunk Detroit Free Press, February 2009

MDOT warns that drivers making damage claims must prove that "the highway authority knew of the condition and had an opportunity to repair, or the condition existed for more than 30 days." What's more, MDOT said, it will pay only damages not covered by a driver's insurance company.