SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A mixture of nonstop rain, fallen trees and standing water has done a number on Sacramento’s roads.
"We've experienced a whole host of things with the storms that have come in with downed trees and water on the roadway,” said Sacramento County spokesman Matt Robinson. “So right now, what we're doing is trying to clean up after what’s going on while we're still waiting on the next round to come in."
Robinson said the Sacramento County Department of Transportation has to prioritize the damage.
First, they take care of flooded roads like Kiefer Boulevard. Crews then clean up the debris, so traffic can pass through and finally they have time to focus on repairing potholes.
"We're constantly doing pothole cleanup every day, even during the summertime,” said Robinson. “So, we're trying to get rid of potholes as fast possible, but it's difficult because more potholes occur from time and people keep driving over them, which causes more damage before we can get to them."
But on clear days, crews in West Sacramento can take advantage of drier conditions.
"Every time it rains, we get a lot of potholes. Rain and roads and a lot of traffic are not a good mix,” said West Sacramento spokesman Paul Hosley. “Like cities throughout the region, our public works crew (is) out as soon as the weather turns around, like today. We got a little break in the weather; they hustled out.”
They fixed more than a dozen reports of potholes over the holiday weekend.
"They put a treatment on that's called cold patches and these are temporary fixes. This is not a permanent fix, but in rainy cold weather that's the only mixture they can use. That gets the road in good enough shape for people to travel,” said Hosley.
A more permanent fix will be made in the spring. The city of West Sacramento is asking people to report potholes on their app, West Sac Connect. On it, you can post a picture and report the location.
In Sacramento County, people can call 311.
Of course, drivers should avoid hitting potholes, but if they do, there is something they can do.
"If you are on an unincorporated road in Sacramento County and you experience damage on your car, you can always file a claim with the county to see if you'll be reimbursed for it,” said Robinson.
Anyone who believes a pothole caused damage to their car can go to the county or city website and – depending on which road you were on – file a claim.
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