Oakland Public Works Crews Begin Pothole-Fixing Blitz
OAKLAND (CBS SF) - Oakland Public Works Agency employees this week began their annual "pothole blitz" to repair some of the city's most pockmarked streets.
Mayor Jean Quan said the number-one infrastructure issue raised by Oakland residents in town hall meetings is fixing potholes.
KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:
Quan said that with the city's budget shortfall, deciding which and how many streets to focus on is a "balancing act."
This week, city workers are fixing potholes in West Oakland. Central Oakland will be targeted the week of May 2; East Oakland will be the focus the week of May 9; and during the week of May 16, workers will respond to pothole repair requests in high-traffic areas throughout the city.
The city's goal is to have eight crews fill in more than 2,000 potholes in the next month.
Public Works Director Vitaly Troyan said potholes are an ongoing problem for all major cities, especially in the springtime, when moisture from rain causes roadway surfaces to erode.
Troyan said streets generally last about 30 years but Oakland only has enough money to pave its streets every 85 years.
"Until additional resources are provided to repave streets, we'll continue to patch, patch and patch some more," he said.
Troyan said Oakland residents who have a specific pothole they want repaired should call (510) 615-5566.
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