Potholes a high priority for City of South Lake Tahoe; Work to begin as weather permits

Potholes are a reality anywhere water is able to get under pavement, and after a long, hard winter as South Lake Tahoe is experiencing, our local roads are not immune. All across the country potholes wreak havoc with drivers each winter, causing damage to cars and tires as well as fraying a few nerves.

They seem to be everywhere, and drivers on many roads can be seen using defensive driving skills warranting an "ace" on a Sega GT or Daytona USA video game.

Mini-craters on a roadway can be irritating, but in South Lake Tahoe there is an end in site once weather allows repairs to be done.

Every year, The Road Information Program (TRIP) compiles data to determine which cities most need help on their roads. For large cities, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Detroit, Cleveland and Honolulu are among those with the worst roads.

Since asphalt repairs have to be made under specific temperatures, the contractor hired by the City of South Lake Tahoe to fix local roads cannot start.

"Potholes are a very high priority of the City," said SLT City Manager Nancy Kerry. "We already have a contractor on board and will attack the potholes as soon as the weather permits."

There was a rumor going around this week on social media that people who have experienced damage to their cars after going through potholes could file a claim with the City.

This isn't true according to Kerry. The City has applied for emergency funding after the January storms caused damage to roads and equipment in South Lake Tahoe. If granted, these funds will address road issues among several others.

"As we can see with Highway 50 collapsing at Bridal Falls, once the water gets under the asphalt or cement, it quickly erodes the dirt and collapses the roadway," added Kerry.