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Number Of Potholes On L.A. Streets Soars Due To Frequent Rain

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — The number of potholes in the streets of Los Angeles has tripled during this winter due to frequent rains.

Carol Ellis, who is an Uber driver, said she has hit her share of potholes. "It really is bad. I'm on the road a lot, not just downtown, all over. And it is not good, especially when you hit them, and there's water in it. Yeah, it's not good. It can break your axle," Ellis explained.

There are plenty of potholes to hit. "In a typical dry month, we're getting about 30 requests a day. In December, we were getting 45. And that's doubled again to 90 in January so far. That's a lot of potholes," said Greg Spotts, City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works Assistant Director.

The excessive amount of moisture can dislodge previous repairs or seep into the road and separate the asphalt from its foundation, according to Spotts.

He urged people to report the potholes by visiting the MyLA 311 Service Request page or use the MyLA311 mobile phone app.

The city said it will have that pothole fixed within three days after the requests are made.

Ellis seemed to be a little skeptical, "I believe it when I see it's done," she said.

If you believe a pothole has damaged your car, take pictures of the pothole and the damage on your vehicle, then submit a claim to the city. Just click here to fill out a form.

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