SAN ANTONIO — Hard hats, heavy machinery and traffic signs fill the road where a construction project is underway on the northwest side.
Residents tell us there's also more potholes.
Earlier this year, Bexar County Commissioners approved a contract to widen Galm Road between Culebra and the entrance to Government Canyon State Natural Area. The $11.8 million project, which is projected to finish in 2024, will convert the road from two to four lanes.
"We're so excited about the expansion," said Shaunette Schott who lives in the area.
However, Schott isn't thrilled about the growing number of potholes she says have appeared since construction began.
"It's not just potholes. Now we got long stripes that are holes that we are trying to avoid because [workers] are tearing up the road, too" said Schott.
Schott said the gaps haven't damaged her car, but she knows neighbors who have allegedly blown tires and scratched rims. They shared their photos with KENS 5.
"The neighborhood Facebook page blows up all of the time with, 'Who can I sue? Who can I contact? I just busted another tire.' There is also a lot of us with four-wheel drive vehicles, but we're trying to traverse this road and just avoid these pothole and they just get bigger," she said.
The road is maintained by the City of San Antonio. Schott said she and others have called the city's 311 hotline to fill the potholes but "get the runaround."
"Probably, the best thing to do would be to go ahead and reach out to our department and let us know, because it's unlikely that the city is going to do anything knowing that we're completely reconstruct the entire roadway," said Renee Green, Bexar County Director of Public Works.
Green said the contractor may be able to address the situation, but "that's not part of their scope of the project." Still, she encourages people to contact the department with their concerns.
"We'll do what we can to make it a little less painful for the people driving on the road. But for right now, the condition of the road is, you know, we sort of inherited it in that condition. We'll make the best step forward if we can but can't guarantee that we'll have the potholes repaired," said Green.
Green said this in the final piece of Galm in need of road work to increase the mobility and connectivity in the area. Still, Schott hopes something can be done to temporarily fix the gaps in the road.
"In the interim, I would like to see better road conditions. I'm not saying it has to be repaved, but let's fill these potholes," said Schott.