Los Angeles drivers are weaving around craters this winter like it is an obstacle course, and the hits are not just to their nerves. After a soggy holiday season battered the streets, residents are reporting flat tires, bent rims and slower commutes across the city. Mayor Karen Bass says she is not just watching from City Hall; she plans to join road crews and help patch problem spots as LA scrambles to catch up with storm damage.
Mayor To Join Crews In Chinatown
Bass is slated to roll up in Chinatown, where city workers are ramping up post-storm repairs. Her office told reporters that crews have already filled more than 10,000 potholes across Los Angeles, according to KTLA. KTLA reporter Eric Spillman, standing in Hollywood, summed up the situation this way: “You don’t have to be a detective to find them — they’re everywhere.” The mayor’s visit is meant to shine a spotlight on the rapid-response teams racing to tame some of the worst stretches of neighborhood streets.
Damage Costs Add Up
The financial fallout is real. A survey from AAA found that about one in 10 drivers who hit a pothole ended up with vehicle damage that needed repairs, with an average bill close to $600. Nationally, those individual repair tabs stack up to billions of dollars every year. In Los Angeles, drivers say the city’s backlog only makes those odds worse.
City Response: Where Repairs Stand
The mayor’s office and the Bureau of Street Services have pushed out extra crews and urged residents to flag street damage through the city’s 3-1-1 system, according to the Mayor's Office. Early in January, officials said crews had already patched more than 2,400 potholes citywide, a round-the-clock push highlighted in Over 2,400 Potholes Repaired. Angelenos are being directed to the MyLA311 system to file new reports and check on repair progress.
Hotspots And Driver Frustration
Certain corridors have turned into minefields. Reporting from KTLA spotlighted a string of potholes along Lexington Avenue near Vine Street in Hollywood, where exasperated drivers said they have not seen much improvement despite all the patching talk. Some residents say the same sections break apart again after the next rainfall, sending them back to the mechanic with surprise repair bills. Traffic-safety experts note that quick patches can only do so much, and that longer-term resurfacing projects are the real answer.
How To Report And Protect Your Vehicle
Residents who spot potholes are urged to report them through the MyLA311 app or by calling 3-1-1. Angelenos planning to seek reimbursement are encouraged to photograph the damage and keep receipts, city officials said in a statement to the Mayor's Office. Guidance from AAA includes avoiding hard braking just before impact and checking tires and alignment after a hit; drivers dealing with damage are advised to document the scene and contact their insurer or a trusted mechanic. Together, the city and AAA are trying to help motorists limit out-of-pocket costs while repair crews chew through the backlog.
Bass’s hands-on appearance is meant to reassure residents that the city is tackling the worst hazards, one patch at a time. Many drivers, though, say the real fix will have to come from long-term investment in repaving and preventive maintenance. Until that happens, Los Angeles motorists are left to rely on sharp eyes, slow speeds and a quick call to 3-1-1 when their block starts to crumble.
