Potholes become a nuisance

The chuckhole...what an obvious nuisance. Potholes riddle the weathered and worn roads all about Fullerton and any rain-torn highways in southern California.

Affected by the rains, these creepy, crawly, little annoyances seem to jump out from the road, frightening our vehicles as spiders do their drivers.

Now, engineers decide to place a certain grade of asphalt by measuring the average annual daily traffic load, which is higher than 1,200 vehicles on the common street.  

That wear and tear of constant traffic turns into cracks, which grow like pressure on glass, to interlocking grids called "Alligator Cracking".  

Water in large quantities, as in the recent series of storms, greatly accelerates the deterioration process causing the cracks to chip and wash away, forming the nemesis of any tire, the pothole.  

Although most freeways in Orange County have toughed through wet weather quite well, the tiny roads in our neighborhoods as well as on our main streets have fallen into a spell of despair.  

Sounds quite silly to make such an issue about potholes, but to broaden the perception of the issue, the collective mass of these problems create an issue that altogether raises the attention to anyone who must drive.  

After the first major storm, Berkeley Aveune alone, between Harbor Boulevard and Chapman Avenue, had suffered about 10 potholes. Budgeted and nearly capped for their efforts in an already failing economy, the city and those responsible for repairs are strained.  

Fullerton is permitted $3 million for the Street Maintenance Department, and about $500,000 of that goes to asphalt repairs.  What then if the engineers and laborers are in a slow struggle against the explosive maintenance problem?  

Ben's Asphalt Inc., located in Santa Ana, contracts asphalt repair and road construction to commercial projects as well as the city projects.  

Throughout the southland, many similar companies offer the same services, allowing cities to breathe a little easier. Because of budget problems, contractors are not always the answer. 

 So  are the citizens of the weather-torn cities of southern California forced to live with these little
road terrors until the city can get to them?  Of course!  

However, any major remodeling warehouse, such as the Home Depot or Lowe's, has materials for sale, like BLACK JACK  Blacktop Crack & Hole Repair for only $9.95, that can fill cracks and potholes.  

Although it is not encouraged to run out onto a busy street and shut it down for do-it-yourself care, simple defects at the edge of our less busy neighborhood can easily be repaired for a relatively low cost and a little bit of time.  Time and money is all that is needed. 

By calling (714) 738-6897, residents of Fullerton can report potholes on a hotline, or by logging onto the Fullerton City Web site. 

 When all else fails, all that is left to do is swerve our cars to and fro, occasionally reminiscent of maneuvering through the dense forests of Endor. 

All that can be done is all that has ever been done. Waiting for something to be done is no more an eternity away than it has ever been unless we take initiative.