Denver Man Waits Two Years for Pothole Fix—One Call Finally Gets It Done
For two years, David Whitehouse tried to get a street hazard fixed in his Green Valley Ranch neighborhood after a storm opened a hole near a storm drain. Despite calling Denver’s 311 system 15 to 20 times and even contacting a city councilmember, nothing was ever done. The hole—about a foot wide and deep enough to reach into the storm drain—posed a safety risk for pedestrians, but repeated calls led to delays, confusion, and inaction.
“I just thought it would be no big deal to call and have it fixed,” Whitehouse said. “I never imagined it would take two years.”
Finally, he turned to “Steve On Your Side,” a local consumer advocacy reporter. Within one day of contacting Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, the hole was patched.
Whitehouse’s persistence underscores how challenging it can be for residents to get routine city maintenance completed—even when following the correct procedures. Officials say contacting 311 was the right move, but it remains unclear where the communication breakdown occurred.
If you need to report potholes or street issues, be sure to contact the correct agency. Most neighborhood streets are city-maintained, while highways fall under CDOT. Key metro-area contact info for pothole reporting is available below:
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State highways (CDOT): 303-759-2368
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Denver: Call 311 or file online
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Aurora: 303-739-7000 or report online
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Lakewood: Request Lakewood online
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Arapahoe County: Online report form
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Adams County: Submit here
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Douglas County: Submit here or email pwoperations@douglas.co.us
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Jefferson County: Use YourJeffco
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Broomfield: 303-438-6334 or submit online
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Boulder: Submit here
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Larimer County: File here
“After two years, I was about ready to give up,” said Whitehouse. “But I’m glad I didn’t.”
