ST. LOUIS — They're seemingly popping up all over the place.
At intersections in downtown St. Louis.
Along a stretch of North Broadway.
And, if you drive on Grand Boulevard past the Fox Theatre, your car will definitely hit one of them.
Potholes.
"All year round, there are just too many potholes," said Valesia Young.
Sure, potholes are a seasonal problem, but the St. Louis mom and scores of other drivers are sick of them.
"I've had to repair a broken axle three times," Young said.
Young said in the past three months, she's also replaced six tires and spent more than $1,000 in pothole-related repairs on her car.
"It just makes no sense. I'm tired of buying tires because I ride on these bad streets," Young said.
At least seven potholes were spotted during a Saturday afternoon ride down Blase Avenue near Hall Street in north St. Louis.
Kent Flake, the commissioner of streets for St. Louis, said "the number of potholes is a little bit better this year compared to what we've seen in the past."
Flake admits he, too, has seen several potholes in all sizes throughout the city.
"We currently have like 2,100 (requests to fill potholes) open, and we've completed about 1,600 so far. Those are the ones that people have reported to us," he said.
Flake said his six, two-man crews usually repair about 120 potholes each day.
He wishes they could do more, but he said his department needs "more manpower."
"Like everybody we're having major problems getting people in the door," he said.
During her recent State of the City address, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones said she's willing to pay more money to city employees.
"I am proposing a 3.5% raise to city employees on top of the (1.5%) step increase," she said.
Meantime, Flake hopes people hear his plea so the city can finally put the brakes on its pothole problem.
"We're looking for people. Our street guys make about $15 an hour, and we want to hire more folks. We've got to do whatever it takes so we can be competitive and fix these holes," Flake said.
For more information about how to apply to work for St. Louis' streets department, click here or email Stlstreetdept@stlouis-mo.gov.