CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Lipes Boulevard is a major connector road in Corpus Christi, but drivers say it has become more of an obstacle course than a thoroughfare — and the damage is getting worse.
Ty Gayhart, a landscaper at Worldwide Lawn Services, drives the road every day pulling a trailer full of equipment.
"As a landscaper here in Corpus, driving down this road, it's definitely a hassle, pulling a trailer with equipment, having to avoid all these potholes, and the road itself isn't even level, so it's like a roller coaster almost," Gayhart said.
For Gayhart, the potholes are more than an inconvenience — they are a business risk.
"It's definitely a liability. I could possibly risk something coming off my equipment or off my trailer," Gayhart said.
Neighbor Jillian Black has lived near Lipes Boulevard for five years and has watched drivers swerve to avoid the worst spots, creating what she describes as a dangerous situation.
"So it's really busy, and then, very true, the cars try to avoid the potholes and steer around them, and, it makes traffic, unpredictable, as well as kind of chaotic," Black said.
Black says the road conditions force drivers into an impossible choice.
"If you have a smaller vehicle, just going over one of these potholes can stop your whole day. You can pop a tire, or you have to replace the whole rim, and that could leave you out without a car for days. And then, if you are trying to avoid them, steering into oncoming traffic, which, you know, you're risking yourself and the people in your car," Black said.
Beyond the potholes, large stretches of Lipes Boulevard are uneven and cracked — enough to rattle shocks and suspensions on every pass.
Gayhart says the city has attempted quick fixes before, but the problem keeps returning.
"One of the biggest issues is potholes. They fill them, fix them, but really, they just need to redo the entire road," Gayhart said.
The city says it is aware of the problem and is working on two fronts. Extra crews are out six days a week patching potholes, and Lipes Boulevard is expected to receive attention within the next few days.
However, the city acknowledges that patches are not a long-term solution. A full rebuild of the road is already 60 percent through the design phase, but construction cannot begin until funding is secured. The city did not provide a timeframe for when that funding would be in place.
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