Pothole Problems In Marin County Prompt Dozens Of Repairs

SAN RAFAEL, CA — The relentless stream of atmospheric rivers has ravaged California's roads, leading to thousands of potholes on freeways, highways and surface streets across the Golden State. If it seems worse than usual — it is.

In the Bay Area, pothole reports on state roads are up more than 73 percent compared to the same time last year.

According to Caltrans, the unrelenting nature of the winter storms and early spring have provided precisely the conditions that are ripe for potholes to form.

"When it rains or snows, you get water that seeps through cracks in the pavement, then the base layer in the soil underneath the road becomes saturated," said Allison Colburn, a public information officer for Caltrans. "This eventually leaves a void underneath the road. So when vehicles drive over the cracked pavement, repeatedly...the surface then breaks and collapses into the void."

In District 4 alone, which encompasses the entire Bay Area, Caltrans has logged 2,311 pothole reports since New Year's Day. Repairs are complete for roughly 64 percent of that total.

Marin County fared better than most, with 52 potholes reported to date, yet still saw a 67 percent increase in incidents. Repair crews have successfully filled all of them, and even repaired an extra pothole that had not been reported.

Caltrans actively monitors roads across the region during storm events, and crews respond as possible to the hundreds of reports filed by drivers.

"They're basically prioritized by the availability of resources, but also the priority of how bad the damage is," Colburn said. "A small pothole that's maybe not causing any damage or issues, that's going to be prioritized behind a large pothole in the middle of a lane."

For drivers who spot a pothole, Caltrans said using its online customer service request portal is the best bet. Drivers can report potholes on city streets via 311.

"That goes through our system, and we have people who look through that and assign maintenance crews to it based on location," Colburn said. "That's the quickest way to get it looked at."

Drivers who believe their vehicle was damaged by a pothole on a state road, and that Caltrans was responsible, can seek compensation from the agency, but Colburn cautions that getting a claim approved is not a sure thing.

"I want to clarify that under California law, Caltrans does not insure vehicles for damage on our highways," Colburn said. "There is a driver responsibility component here. Drivers in California must exercise caution on all roads and have car insurance to cover liability and property damage. In limited circumstances, Caltrans may be statutorily responsible for damage to a vehicle."

For damage valued up to $10,000, drivers can submit a claim online. Anything higher is handled separately by California's Government Claims Program.