BATON ROUGE, LA – After years of quietly enduring traffic, weather, and multiple failed repair attempts, a well-known pothole on Airline Highway has officially been designated a historic landmark by city officials.
The pothole, estimated to have first formed sometime during the Pat Screen administration, has since survived several mayoral terms, many fully funded repair budgets, and at least one ceremonial ribbon-cutting for a project that never reached it.
“This isn’t just a pothole anymore,” one official explained. “It’s a part of our history. Generations of drivers have swerved around it. That means something.”
Under its new designation, the site will be preserved in its current condition, with crews instructed to avoid any “unintentional improvements.” Plans are also underway to install a small marker noting its depth and approximate year of origin.
Residents expressed mixed reactions, with some praising the recognition while others questioned whether the city had simply found a creative way to stop fixing roads altogether.
City leaders say the designation ensures future generations can experience it exactly as intended.
