Oakland

Potholes Wreak Havoc on Thanksgiving Travelers

Drivers in the East Bay spent the day dodging potholes on their way to Thanksgiving dinner and with a frost advisory and more rain in the forecast, they might get bigger and bigger.

"There’s potholes all over the place. On the city streets, on the freeways," said Jared Yamasaki, who was driving to Oak Grove. "When the water seeps in and the big rigs and all the cars roll over the potholes, they kind of create bigger potholes."

Yamasaki says his SUV tires can absorb the shock but a powerful storm this weekend means the potholes dotting highways and city roads are likely going to get deeper and wider.

"There’s nothing you can do about the weather but hopefully they can fix the roads and prevent that from happening," said Yamasaki.

Not just drivers faced the pothole predicament but pedestrians too.

"The crosswalks are dangerous because there’s potholes for pedestrians and cars that don’t want to stop," said Audrey Knox from Oakland.

On the state level, funding from SB1, otherwise known as the Road Repair and Accountability Act, is helping fill the craters. Earlier this year, the city of Oakland jumpstarted a $100 million project to repave city streets.

"Hopefully that will start kicking in," said Yamasaki.

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