In a desperate attempt to stem the tide of dangerous street takeovers, Cleveland is resorting to a controversial tactic. Using a milling apparatus, road crews are digging ‘tax-funded potholes’ in road surfaces to stop cars from performing risky, high-speed stunts. What’s more, Cleveland isn’t alone in the safety effort.
Milling machines are creating potholes and divots in public roads to discourage street takeovers, and the internet is losing it
The intersection of Lee and Harvard in Cleveland looks a bit like a chessboard. No, it’s not a street art installation. It’s a textured system of potholes and divots made by a milling machine. Incidentally, the city of Cleveland deliberately created the bumpy road surface.
That might seem insane. I mean, why would a city want to compromise the surface of its streets? Cleveland, like other cities nationwide, has an issue with street takeovers. Drivers and spectators lock down roads and intersections doing donuts, stunts, and racing. Unfortunately, the events sometimes result in other crimes, injuries, or delays to emergency services.
A police sergeant in Cleveland said that they “had to come up with alternative ways to reduce or deter this.” I suppose digging up the road surface is one way to “reduce” the problem. However, internet-goers aren’t exactly brimming with support…