If you drive Michigan’s roads, you’re probably well-versed in the woes of pothole season. With the approach of spring and warmer weather, those cantankerous craters will begin their true seasonal blossoming. Here are a few answers to questions you might have about this scourge of the road:

Question: Does Michigan have the worst potholes?

Answer: That’s kind of subjective, although they were noteworthy enough to inspire an ice cream flavor a few years ago. Timothy Fischer, the Michigan Department of Transportation’s deputy director of communications, says MDOT does not have a way to compare Michigan’s potholes to other states, but he notes that Michigan spends less on its roads than neighboring states. “… And there’s a clear correlation between road condition and amounts spent on the system.”

The common denominator in pavement damage, Fischer says, is water, which penetrates pavement over time and degrades. “With sufficient funding, cities, counties and MDOT would be able to maintain pavements in good condition, limiting the amounts of road decay and conditions ripe for potholes,” Fischer says. Our verdict? Yes.

Q: How much does Michigan invest in its roads compared with the rest of the United States and other Great Lakes states?

A: Not much. Michigan has ranked last in the nation in investing in its road system on a per-capita basis, according to the 2045 Regional Transportation Plan for Southeast Michigan, scheduled for adoption March 14 by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments General Assembly.

Even with revenue enhancements passed into law in 2015, Michigan will spend less than the national average for roads. For example, Michigan's road construction per-capita in 2015 was $141 and is expected to be $222 in 2021. In 2015, Ohio's per capita spending was $296, Wisconsin's was $383 and Illinois' was $474, according to the plan.

More:Fixing Michigan's crumbling roads: What about the heavy trucks?

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Q: What is the most current annual cost figure needed to fix roads the roads?

A: SEMCOG predicts that road funding in its seven-county region (Livingston, Macomb, Monroe, Oakland, St. Clair, Washtenaw and Wayne) needs to increase from $400 million per year to $1.6 billion per year for 25 years to improve roads to 80 percent good or fair condition. It will take an additional $600 million per year over that time period to get roads to 90 percent good or fair, according to its regional transportation plan.

These figures are only for the needs of federal aid-eligible roads and doesn't include the cost of addressing secondary roads or residential streets. Last year, SEMCOG said 41 percent of pavement on federal aid-eligible roads in the seven-county region were in poor condition, and another 40 percent were in fair condition.

Q: Does Michigan’s climate make it more susceptible to potholes than other places?

A: Certainly Michigan’s climate plays a role in the conditions of its roads, but state climatologist Jeff Andresen says that even Michigan’s position as a peninsula state with abundant moisture should not make it stand out from nearby states.

Water is one of the key ingredients in destroying pavement. But other states with arguably better roads also experience freeze-thaw cycles like those blamed for heightening the annual spring pot-ocalypse in Michigan. Andresen, who is also a geography professor at Michigan State University, however, notes that “there would be places and climates (such as the Ohio Valley) that have more freeze-thaw cycles than we do here in Michigan.” For all its temperature variation, Michigan has periods where the temperature stays below freezing day and night that would be longer than some other areas.

Q: How can I file a claim if my vehicle or tires are damaged by a pothole?

A: MDOT suggests two options on its website. For damage claims less than $1,000, the agency provides a form — https://mdotcf.state.mi.us/public/webforms/public/3600.pdf — but for higher value claims, the agency says you’ll need to file a lawsuit. MDOT is also clear that a favorable judgment is unlikely, noting that “the majority of claims are denied under government immunity laws.”

More:Thousands seek to recuperate money for pothole repairs. Payouts are rare. But they happen.

If you intend to file a claim despite the odds, plan to provide as much documentation as possible, including police reports, damage estimates, proof of damage not covered by insurance and photos of the damage. You’ll also need to answer a variety of questions about you and the incident and have your form notarized. If your issue is with a local road, you’d need to take that up with the responsible community or road commission.

Q: How do I report a pothole?

A: On state trunkline roads (look for the M, I or U.S. designation), Go to https://tinyurl.com/reportpotholeMI or call 888-296-4546. When filling out the online form, you’ll need to select the region of the state and provide the interstate or route number, direction of travel, county, municipality and nearest exit or street. There’s also a spot for a message. If the crater is on a county or local road, contact that jurisdiction directly.

Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @_ericdlawrence.

