But tow and repair companies enjoy business caused by pothole plague

The price of potholes is a lot higher than just the $20 million it’s going to cost to repair the area’s most pocked road — state Route 57.

As many motorists are finding out, the bill to repair — or oftentimes replace — a tire damaged by a particularly treacherous pothole can run as much as $400 depending on the type of tire and vehicle and how much damage is done.

STEVE MANHEIM / CHRONICLE

Mike Cicatko, a tire sales manager at Midway Mall’s Firestone Complete Auto Care, inspects a tire blown out by a pothole on Wednesday.

That’s good news for the bottom lines of tire repair shops; bad news for the area’s motorists.

“They’re extremely angry,” said Jonathon Whitfield, assistant manager at the Firestone on Abbe Road.

He said his shop has had to replace 30 tires in the last month or so for drivers — many more than usual. And the drivers’ refrains are all the same — a pothole was to blame, he said.

In addition to the tires, at least 15 rims have had to be replaced, which isn’t something that normally needs done.

“It’s just phenomenal,” he said.

The Firestone store by Midway Mall reports similar numbers.

Workers have done nearly 35 tire repair jobs there in the last month, manager Mike Cicatko said, up from an average of about five a week.

Rim replacements? “Between five and 10 this month, where it’s usually just one,” Cicatko said.

The tire business isn’t the only one capitalizing on drivers’ misfortunes.

“We’ve gotten a lot more calls,” said Rocky Kelley, manager of Mug’s Elyria Towing. He said that AAA has reported a 50 percent increase in flat tire calls, and his fleet has been answering the calls.

“I’m in one of the most secure businesses in the county,” he said.

But even tow truck drivers haven’t been spared from the potholes. Kelley said one of his trucks lost a fight with one, too.

“They’re unavoidable,” he said.

So what can drivers do?

The advice is pretty basic: Go slow, don’t tailgate and don’t overinflate your tires.

And, in the wise words of Firestone’s Whitfield: “Stay away from 57.”

Contact Michael Baker at 329-7128 or mbaker@chroniclet.com.

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