MEMPHIS, TN (abc24.com) - Every day, thousands of Memphis drivers hit a bad patch of road. In fact, road conditions are so bad they've become the number one complaint received by many Memphis City Council members.
"There's too many potholes, divots they're rough to ride on. In fact, they've become my number one complaint from citizens when I go speak to groups," said Councilman Jim Strickland.
We drove over roads that looked as though they had measles. We're not just talking about potholes. Not just uneven patches used to fill in the potholes. We're talking about roads in Memphis that are literally crumbling and falling apart, even after the city gets all of that property tax money.
"They just need to stay on top of it, you know? They let the sinkholes get deeper and deeper and they're not covering them up. But we're paying tax dollars. Everybody's wondering where the tax dollars are going to," said Antonio Smith.
Even Bobby Bess, who battles bluff city boulevards bouncing in a behemoth truck, says these Memphis roads stink.
"Oh yeah, the roads are bad through here. I mean the interstates are ok, but these side roads and side streets, they're awful. A lot of bumping and holes, stuff like that. Man you'll bust a tire so quick it ain't funny."
Nobody is laughing. This is serious business, and it shows no signs of getting better right now. Thank the budget cuts over the last few years for all of this, according to Strickland.
"We had done a really good job repaving streets and the amount of money we spent doing it has really gone down in the last two or three years. And I think we're seeing the results of that," Strickland said. "There's probably nothing we do that affects one hundred percent of the citizens like the quality of our street repair. We need to get back to basics. That's going to be a goal of mine while chairing the budget committee is pushing the basics of government."
