Gaping pothole on I-95N in Waltham leaves drivers with flats

WALTHAM, Mass. — The Thursday morning commute came to a screeching halt for some drivers on a busy stretch of 95N in Waltham.

A gaping pothole in the second travel lane before exit 41/Route 20 left driver after driver with flat tires.

The sight of frustrated drivers pulled over on the shoulder of the highway was visible for hours.

Boston 25 News spoke with one driver who assisted others after putting a spare on his vehicle.

“I was helping other drivers jack up their cars and throw on spare tires. Other people were going the AAA route. Others were calling tow trucks,” said James Zelandi of Milford. “It was madness.”

Zelandi said he witnessed at least ten cars wind up in the same predicament as himself.

“I’m just outraged because my tax dollars are supposed to go toward funding roads and repairs,” he said. “At this point, I’m like where are my tax dollars going?”

MassDOT maintenance crews filled in the pothole with a temporary patch by the early afternoon.

The drivers who were impacted are now stuck paying hundreds of dollars. Some have to replace multiple tires.

“Now I’ve got to take the time out of my day. I work five days a week, 10 to 12-hour shifts,” said David Daley of West Roxbury. “I’ve got to spend whatever money I make from my job just to fix something that shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The state of Massachusetts does not cover repair costs to cars damaged by potholes.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation only pays for injuries caused by roadway defects.

A MassDOT spokesperson sent the following statement to Boston 25 News: “The recent temperature changes, combined with elevated moisture levels, have resulted in an increased number of potholes across the Commonwealth. MassDOT crews are actively patching potholes, with a majority of the work occurring mid-day and at night when traffic volumes are lower.”

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