Oakland Mayor Jean Quan says the complaint she hears the most about from the people of Oakland isn't crime, but pot holes.
And with her city's budget shortfall, deciding which and how many streets to focus on is what she calls a "balancing act."
The act goes into play this week as Oakland's Public Works Agency employees begin their annual "pothole blitz" to repair some of the city's most pockmarked streets.
The goal is to have eight crews fill in more than 2,000 potholes in the next month.
Public Works Director Vitaly Troyan said potholes are an ongoing problem for all major cities, especially in the springtime, when moisture from rain causes roadway surfaces to erode.
Troyan said streets generally last about 30 years but Oakland only has enough money to pave its streets every 85 years.
"Until additional resources are provided to repave streets, we'll continue to patch, patch and patch some more," he said.
Troyan said Oakland residents who have a specific pothole they want repaired should call (510) 615-5566.
Bay City News
