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Downpour causes big potholes in metro Denver

"As soon I hit it my tire went poof," said one driver.

DENVER — The strip mall parking lot near 74th and Federal Boulevard had the look and sound of a tire repair shop on Friday, thanks, in part, to the drenching rains of the past few days.

Zecharia Frie was one of about a dozen drivers who pulled into the parking lot late Friday morning and early Friday afternoon to fix flat tires after hitting a large pothole a few hundred feet down the road on the southbound overpass of Highway 36.  

"It just completely shuddered my car," Frie said, pointing to the large gash in his right front tire caused by the pothole.

Angie Martinez's car was another one of the casualties.  She said she drives on that overpass all the time and that this week's rain made the pothole significantly worse.  

"I seen it but it was too late and as soon as I hit it my tire went poof," Martinez said.

Potholes aren't the only problems on the roads caused by this week's deluge. Many major Denver-area roads were flooded, including a several-block stretch near East Alameda Avenue and South Havana Street, which was still filled with water late Friday morning.

Zecharia Frie said he was actually enjoying all the rain until his tire went flat.

"I'll forgive (the water) this one time," Frie said.

The pothole that flattened Frie's tire has now been filled.

The Denver Department of Transportation and Infrastructure encourages people to report potholes by calling 311 or going to Denver.gov. They said reported potholes are typically filled in no more than three business days.

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