Sunny, hot and dry weather has returned to Los Angeles this week, but drivers across the country are being greeted with shocking reminders of a rainy season for the record books.
The storms left Los Angeles with a bumpy obstacle course and plenty of work for street utility repair crews. Mayor Karen Bass plans to speak Thursday morning about repairing potholes and other damage from winter and early spring storms.
The mayor is due to speak at a news conference at 8:30 a.m. on repairing potholes and other work on city streets damaged by historic storms. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez will join Bass in Mission Hills.
A nightmare for hundreds of drivers occurred this afternoon due to an unexpected sinkhole in an on-ramp on the 710 freeway in Pasadena.
After the first wave of storms in January, Los Angeles received more than 3,400 pothole complaints. Last year, a total of 824 drivers filed pothole claims with the city.
Los Angeles has a system for residents to notify the city of potholes. State law gives the city “ample time” to repair a pothole after authorities are notified.
City officials told sister station NBCLA that they promised to fix the potholes within three days.
Of more than 800 claims filed in 2022, the city paid only 182, or about 22%. The previous year, the city had paid only 24% of pothole claims.
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.