Are Crappy Minnesota Roads Beating Up Your Vehicle?

I've notice that in the last couple of years, the roads in and out of town are not in good shape.  It's become difficult to avoid pot holes without looking like you are driving under the influence.

There are some really terrible spots here in St Cloud. One in particular, is the exit off Highway 10 by Cashwise. That little stretch will rattle your brain, not to mention your car or truck.

The bad part is that these bad roads can end up costing you money and age you vehicle faster.  All those pot holes, dips and bumps can take a toll on your vehicle and your wallet. The average annual damage to vehicles in Minnesota is over $500.

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If you are lucky, when you hit one of these, you will only throw your wheels out of alignment. This can cause your tire to wear unevenly. I actually had a wheel break clean off my SUV as I was cruising down Division.

The worst is when you hit a bump or pot hole and you just know that there was damage, like a popped tire, cracked rim or even steering problems. Suspension problems can cost anywhere from four to six hundred dollars, replacing a wheel around $200 and a new tire will set back at least $80.

Rocky Moretti, director of a nonprofit transportation research group, TRIP says “When you don’t repair those pavements, it’s the public that are paying more money in additional vehicle operating costs,” Moretti said. “Every year the Minnesota Department of Transportation is required by federal law to monitor the condition of pavements in all the major roads of the state, and not just the state maintained, but also the locally maintained.”

Let's hope we get some serious infrastructure going not only in Minnesota but across the country. 2020 wasn't just tough on us, it was pretty tough on our roads, too.

(wcco)