City of Long Beach Reaches Milestone in Pothole Repair Initiative with Over 35,000 filled Citywide Since April

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PRESS RELEASE

Long Beach, CA - The City of Long Beach Department of Public Works has reached a milestone in its efforts to reduce the number of potholes citywide, with over 35,000 potholes repaired since April 2024, cutting in more than half the 63,000 potholes that were estimated at the beginning of this year. As part of the City's Spring Cleaning Initiative that took place this past May, Public Works announced their campaign to fill approximately 5,000 potholes each month through the end of 2024 to address the backlog of potholes caused from the unprecedented rainfall Long Beach experienced during the winter storm season.

"Our Public Works crews have been hard at work to address the over 60,000 potholes in Long Beach, creating safer streets for residents citywide," said Mayor Rex Richardson. "In just five months we have filled over 35,000 potholes, complementing our slurry maintenance and full repaving programs, and we are not slowing down."

Pothole crews are a traditional element of the Public Works' Public Services Bureau. Crews work year-round to address potholes, typically filling 40,000 a year on average. Potholes occur when water penetrates the surface of the road and affects the underlying base material. This infiltration compromises the integrity of the roadway structure, leading to fractures that eventually result in potholes. Long Beach has experienced nearly 24 inches of rainfall so far this year, surpassing the annual average by 12.4 inches, resulting in a 30% projected increase in potholes citywide.

As part of the pothole filling effort, six crews were initially deployed six days a week to fill potholes in areas throughout Long Beach, doubling the department's standard operations. There are currently five permanent crews comprised of 18 full-time Public Works staff members and three part-time members from the Conservation Corps of Long Beach who continue to address potholes six days a week.

"Filling over 35,000 potholes caused by record-breaking rainfall this past winter in just five months is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the dedication and hard work of our Public Works team," said Director of Public Works Eric Lopez. "We remain committed to improving our roadway infrastructure and enhancing the safety and livability of our community."

In early August, pothole crews successfully completed 25,000 pothole repairs throughout the city, which quickly increased to over 30,000 before the month's end. To date, the most potholes filled in one month was 6,954, which occurred in July. In the coming weeks, crews will begin utilizing specially designed trucks, designed by City staff, that will increase pothole repair capacity over the coming years, doubling productivity by increasing the fleet from three to six trucks.

Requests to fill potholes are submitted via the City's Go Long Beach service request portal. The Public Works team investigates and repairs all submitted claims. When out in the field addressing specific claims, crews will also repair any unreported pothole in the general area until the daily supply of hot asphalt is exhausted, an additional effort that uplifts the City's overall response and attention to potholes. Crews will also select major streets to address potholes within city limits, done so using an equity lens so that repair resources are shared throughout all areas of the city.

The Public Works Department is committed to maintaining a monthly target of 5,000 pothole repairs to reduce the total number of potholes in Long Beach to below 10,000 by Feb. 1, 2025.

About the City of Long Beach
Long Beach is nestled along the Southern California coast and home to approximately 466,000 people. As an award-winning full-service charter city, Long Beach offers the amenities of a metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods, culture and community. With a bustling downtown and over six miles of scenic beaches, Long Beach is a renowned tourist and business destination and home to the iconic Queen Mary, nationally recognized Aquarium of the Pacific and Long Beach Airport, award-winning Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center and world-class Port of Long Beach.

For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, X, Instagram and YouTube. More information about the Department of Public Works is available at longbeach.gov/pw and Facebook, X and Instagram.

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