Here is a breakdown of potholes and how TDOT fixes them

There are lots of potholes on I-75 south between Caryville (Exit 134) and Rocky Top (Exit 129)

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- This is the time of year when Tennessee gets potholes on its transportation network.  The freezing/thawing cycle and precipitation do a number on interstates and state routes.

“Our crews work to fix them as soon as possible. Keep in mind that many of those patches are temporary, as hot asphalt is not readily available. The spring and summer months are when more permanent patching and our major resurfacing projects occur,” said Mark Nagi, Regional Communications Officer for the Tennessee Department of Transportation – Region 1.

“We are responsible for over 9,000 lane miles. We monitor the roads every day but don’t see everything immediately. So, we ask the public for their help,” said Nagi.

Here is where you can go to fill out the maintenance request form to report a pothole. You can also call 833-TDOTFIX.

“Potholes are put on a list, and we fill them as quickly as we can. If potholes are severe, we put those at the top of the list,” said Nagi.

Nagi adds that it’s tougher to patch potholes on interstates due to high traffic volumes. Often that work is done overnight. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED-02/07/2026-6AM-PHOTOS COURTESY OF WLAF’S CHARLIE HUTSON)