A new transportation survey reveals drivers across SE Portland, NE Alberta Street, and near Burnside Street report feeling unexpectedly comfortable navigating familiar potholes.
PORTLAND, OR — A new local transportation study released Monday suggests that a surprising number of Portland drivers have developed emotional familiarity with specific potholes across the city’s road network. The survey, conducted among residents commuting through SE Division Street, SE Hawthorne Boulevard, and sections of NE Alberta Street, found that 68.4% of respondents could identify at least one pothole they intentionally drive around with what researchers described as “confident muscle memory.”
Even more notably, 41.7% of respondents said they prefer encountering the same potholes repeatedly rather than facing newly formed ones.
“It’s the unknown ones that make you nervous,” said commuter Dana K., who drives daily across Burnside Street. “But the one near SE 28th & Division? I know exactly where it is. We have an understanding.”
A Relationship Built Over Time
Researchers say the phenomenon reflects Portland drivers’ gradual adaptation to the city’s road conditions.
Over months or even years, drivers reportedly learn the exact location, depth, and emotional temperament of recurring potholes along their regular routes.
“You start to anticipate them,” said transportation analyst Greg M. “Drivers develop what we call predictive pavement awareness.”
One participant in the survey said the pothole near SE Hawthorne & 34th Avenue had become so familiar that avoiding it now feels automatic.
“My steering wheel just moves slightly left at 19 mph,” the driver explained. “I don’t even think about it anymore.”
The Comfort of Familiar Infrastructure
Urban planners reviewing the study say the results highlight how people psychologically adapt to imperfect infrastructure.
“Infrastructure remains present,” said a transportation planner at Portland City Hall. “Residents simply learn how to coexist with its more expressive features.”
Some drivers even reported mild anxiety when a long-familiar pothole disappears after road repairs.
“When they patched the one near Mount Tabor Park, it felt strange,” said Portland resident Kyle R. “My car still tried to avoid it for three days.”
Neighborhood Favorites Emerge
According to the survey, certain potholes across Portland have developed informal reputations among regular commuters.
Drivers near St. Johns Bridge reported a particularly recognizable pothole that appears each winter near a frequently used intersection.
In SE Portland, several residents mentioned a shallow but persistent pavement crater along SE Division Street, describing it as “predictable but ambitious.”
And near Naito Parkway, cyclists said a small but strategically placed pothole has quietly influenced bike lane positioning for months.
“It’s basically part of the route now,” said one rider.
Data Confirms the Pattern
Researchers estimate the average Portland driver encounters between 6 and 14 potholes during a typical commute depending on neighborhood density and seasonal rainfall patterns.
But the study found that once a driver becomes familiar with a pothole, perceived risk drops by 27.9%.
“The brain likes patterns,” said analyst Greg M. “Even when the pattern is a hole in the road.”
Participants described the most trusted potholes as those that remain stable in both location and depth across multiple seasons.
“Consistency is key,” the study concluded.
City Officials Respond Carefully
Officials at Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) acknowledged the study while emphasizing the city remains committed to road maintenance.
“Potholes are not intended as permanent features,” a PBOT spokesperson said. “However, we recognize that some residents may have developed… familiarity.”
The bureau also confirmed that pothole repair requests increased 12.3% during the past year, particularly following winter storms affecting areas near Forest Park, SE Hawthorne, and Burnside Bridge.
“We encourage residents to report new potholes,” the spokesperson added.
Drivers Adjust Once Again
By Tuesday morning, commuters continued navigating roads across SE Division Street, Alberta Arts District, and the routes approaching Burnside Bridge, carefully steering around the pavement features they now know well.
One driver paused at a stoplight near SE 28th Avenue, reflecting on the pothole he’s avoided every morning for nearly 14 months.
“It’s not that I like it,” he said.
“But I trust it.”
