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Atlanta working to repair as many potholes as possible before Super Bowl

ATLANTA — With just 47 days until Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, the city is making a big push to make things more beautiful and to keep drivers safe.

Channel 2 Action News has reported on several complaints about potholes around the city, which have caused headaches for drivers.

In 2017, the city repaired more than 2,500 potholes. This year, that number has skyrocketed to more than 16,000.

Channel 2 anchor Craig Lucie tagged along with work crews Tuesday as they repaired a major pothole.

The potholes are an issue that Atlanta Councilwoman Marci Collier Overstreet first heard from her constituents when she took office this year.

"It has caused a lot of problems for our budget as well. If you're paying off claims and our residents are fixing cars, it really is just a hardship on everyone," Overstreet told Lucie.

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Overstreet and Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms have taken action with the help of Atlanta's chief operating officer Richard Cox.

"We have three crews running 24 hours a day," Cox said. "We'll be ready for Super Bowl."

When those crews spot a hole in the road, they get to work, but they need help from drivers too. Drivers can report potholes to the city by downloading the ATL-311 app.

When someone reports a pothole in the app, the City of Atlanta says they have a deadline of five days to fix it.

While repairs are costly, the city said that in the long run, it will save them thousands if not millions.