LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Arnold Schwarzenegger’s intentions were in the right place, but it appears his shovel was in a utility trench used by the gas company that wasn’t supposed to be filled.
Actor and former Governor of California posted a video of the repairs in what he said was a “giant pothole” in Brentwood, a reasonable assumption after months of rain in Southern California left street workers in Los Angeles with a long to-do list.
The City of Los Angeles received 19,642 pothole repair service requests since late December, officials said last week.
In a tweet, Schwarzenegger, 75, said the large hole in the street had plagued drivers and cyclists for weeks. The video showed the men using repair materials to fill the hole. At one point, a driver stops to thank Schwarzenegger, who is wearing sunglasses and a leather jacket.
“Today, after the whole neighborhood was pissed off about this giant pothole that’s been ruining cars and bikes for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it,” he said. tweeted Schwarzenegger. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you have”.
THE HOLE WAS NOT ACTUALLY A POTTLEHOLE
But after the video of the well-meaning repair job aired, the Los Angeles Department of Public Works told our sister station NBCLA that the hole wasn’t actually a pothole.
“This place is not a pothole,” a spokesperson told NBCLA. “This is a service ditch that relates to active, licensed work that SoCalGas is performing on the site, and expects work to be completed by the end of May.
“As with similar projects affecting city streets, SoCalGas will need to repair the area once its work is complete.”
It wasn’t immediately clear if the hole Schwarzenegger filled needed to be patched. SoCalGas did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday evening to confirm whether the trench was still in use.
The hole opened up after Monday’s scourge of storms.
Daniel Ketchell, spokesman for Schwarzenegger, said residents of Brentwood have repeatedly called for repairs since a series of winter storms in February and March. Ketchell did not immediately respond to an overnight request for comment on the statement from the City of Los Angeles.
Keith Mozee, executive director and general manager of the Office of Highway Services, said last week the department had received 19,642 pothole repair requests since Dec. 30. About 17,459 of those requests have been processed, he said.
Under normal conditions, the time of repair response is 1-3 days, said. Crews are being diverted from other day-to-day duties to meet the demand for pothole repairs, Mozee said.
“Fixing potholes is a daily chore for us,” Mozee said at a news conference in the San Fernando Valley. “We’re making good progress, but it’s not good enough for anyone who’s been hit by a pothole.”
How to File a Pothole Claim with the City of Los Angeles
- File the complaint.
- Be sure to include as much documentation as possible, such as repair invoices and photos.
- The city may request additional documents.
- The city’s response will arrive in four to six weeks.
- For Los Angeles County drivers, a repair request can be made on line fill out a form.
How do potholes form?
Potholes usually form when water sinks into the cracks in the asphalt then it is absorbed by the mixture of rock, gravel and sand that supports the street.
The weight of passing cars on the road causes water to penetrate the pavement, causing erosion. The asphalt then sinks into the eroded areas and cracks under the weight of passing cars.
That’s when pieces of road break off and a pothole forms. Hole can be filled with repair material
This story first appeared on Telemundo 52’s sister station NBCLA. Click on here to read this story in English.