Gripes About County’s Potholes Could Fill a Column

Dear Readers:

Potholes were on the minds or under the wheels of several of our readers recently. This week’s column embraces potholes as a theme. Here’s hoping that it helps you with those bumpy roads:

Dear Street Smart:

When one gets on the northbound San Gabriel River Freeway from Katella, there are large potholes just where the freeway crosses over Coyote Creek. Is anything being done to repair these holes? This is very bad when one tries to enter the freeway. Can’t something be done before an accident happens?

Dave Kroffe, Los Alamitos

Caltrans spokesman Gerard Sandoval cruised out to the freeway searching for the potholes plaguing you, but he came up empty. Perhaps they’ve been repaired since you’ve written your letter. Caltrans has a regular inspection and maintenance schedule that it follows, Sandoval said.

If they are still there, let the agency know by phoning (714) 724-2607. That’s a 24-hour line that handles calls about potholes and other problems on state highways in Orange County. Potholes on local streets should be reported to the appropriate city or to the county.

Caltrans encourages drivers to help the agency keep an eye on the highways, Sandoval said. Callers should be able to provide the exact location of trouble spots when they call, he said.

Dear Street Smart:

Last February my car received considerable damage from debris kicked out of a pothole by a passing truck. This occurred on Coast Highway in Laguna Beach. After great effort, I managed to contract the Caltrans claims department. I had a police report, a passenger witness, two street witnesses, and an estimate of damages. All were submitted with my initial claim.

The claim was denied. The reason given was that Caltrans investigations showed no reports of a pothole in the vicinity of my complaints. I was told Caltrans would be liable only if it had failed to follow up on a report and repair a pothole.

At the time of the accident, I had called the Laguna Beach Police Department, which had already received other reports by this time. When a city work crew arrived, they stated that it was not their problem, as Caltrans maintained Coast Highway. Their attitude was definitely laissez faire.

I decided to appeal my claim to the next level, since the damages were $500. I was informed by Caltrans that I would be having a hearing. I would like your advice on the best way to present my case at my hearing. Normally, I would consider pothole damage the price we pay to drive the highways. But this was really beyond the normal inconvenience we all face. I would like Caltrans, with our tax-supported dollars, to repair my car.

Julie Stephenson, Irvine

Your appeal is before the state Board of Control. This three-person committee is charged with reviewing some claims against the state to see if they can be resolved without going to court.

Chances are you will lose your appeal unless you can come up with some proof that Caltrans knew about the pothole and failed to repair it promptly, according to Curt Soderlund, the board’s deputy executive officer.

Proof could come from Caltrans records, but the agency has already informed you that the pothole was never reported. You can request copies of its telephone logs and maintenance repair records through the state public records act if you think Caltrans is covering up an error, Soderlund said.

Your best bet is probably to go back to Laguna Beach and look for records or witnesses who can prove that the city informed Caltrans about the pothole. That might help you prove that Caltrans knew about the hole but failed to repair it fast enough to save your car, if that’s the case.

Others who have encountered a similar fate on state roads can reach the local Caltrans Claims Office at (714) 724-2616. The office will mail callers a claim form, which should be returned to begin an action against the agency, according to Caltrans spokesman Gerard Sandoval.

When filing a claim, you should note the time and exact location of the accident, along with two or three repair estimates. Photos of vehicle damage and of the pothole are especially helpful for supporting your claim, according to Sandoval.

Claims under $1,000 will be handled by the local Caltrans office. Claims over that amount are handled by the Board of Control. Investigation can take from a few weeks to a few months. If your claim is denied, you can appeal to the Board of Control to have your case reviewed. After that, if you are still unhappy, you may go to court to settle a claim.

Dear Street Smart:

I travel the Riverside Freeway daily in my commute to work from Anaheim to Downey. I am shocked at the horrible state of disrepair of the number one lane, the fast lane, of the freeway in both directions. From just west of the Costa Mesa Freeway to the Santa Ana Freeway, it is riddled with potholes, cracks and dangerously uneven surfaces.

The lane was originally an emergency lane which was “converted” several years ago into a traffic lane. I suspect the original asphalt lane was not designed to bear the current high volume of traffic.

I have witnessed several “near-collisions” while drivers attempt to avoid large potholes. I have contacted Caltrans in the past; however, no significant changes have emerged. Do you have any information regarding Caltrans’ plans for repairing or improving this lane? I’m certain your comments would be appreciated by the thousands of commuters who use the Riverside Freeway daily.

Marc Kurzbard, MD, Anaheim

Caltrans says that it will keep patching holes but that permanent relief for those lanes won’t come until next spring, when Caltrans begins construction of car-pool lanes on both sides of the Riverside Freeway.

Work will begin relatively soon on the segment between the Costa Mesa and Orange freeways. Spring 1993 is the currently scheduled start date.

You have a much longer wait until the Orange to Santa Ana freeway segment is upgraded. Work there won’t begin until the end of 1997.

By the way, Caltrans is not adding the car-pool lanes to the Riverside Freeway by removing existing lanes. State law prevents the agency from doing that, spokesman Gerard Sandoval said.