Oakland trapped in a ‘cycle’ of potholes, grand jury finds

(KRON) — Oakland drivers face a gauntlet of potholes while navigating city streets because of years of neglect, according to a grand jury report released Monday.

“Although a visible and irritating problem, potholes are merely a symptom of the much larger
problem of failing streets. Until Oakland can repave on a wide scale, it will not be able to escape from a cycle of pothole and pavement repairs,” the grand jury’s report states.

Oakland has 806 miles of paved streets, including 299 miles that are “major streets,” such as collectors and arterials, according to the report.

The city’s Department of Transportation, also known as OakDOT, is in charge of maintaining and repairing streets. OakDOT takes a complaint-based approach to pothole and street repairs. Citizens can report problems through the city’s OAK311 system. OakDOT prioritizes pothole complaints based on severity and in situations that may pose a higher risk of injury.

Patching potholes is temporary fix, however, lasting three years, the grand jury emphasized. Asphalt pavement typically lasts about 30 years.

Between 2009 and 2016, Oakland paved an average of nine miles a year, grand jurors found. At that rate, the city’s streets would only be repaved every 80 years.

Repaving involves the complete replacement of asphalt, as well as milling to remove layers of street down to the dirt. “Paving is not cheap: complete street paving costs approximately $1 million per mile,” the report states.

The grand jury reviewed Pavement Condition Index (PCI) information for 2005 through 2023. During that time, Oakland’s average PCI rating consistently fell within the “At Risk” range, a point where rapid deterioration occurs.

Potholes are not just a nuisance, they also create an expensive liability for the city.

Oakland receives hundreds of claims annually for pothole damage to vehicles. Between July 2021 and June 2024, Oakland had 29 lawsuits alleging damage or injury from potholes or other pavement conditions. During that time, the city paid $15.4 million in lawsuits.

“These payouts involved huge amounts in a handful cases. In FY 2023-2024, Oakland paid
settlements of $6.5 million in each of two catastrophic bike accident cases,” the report writes.

Grand jurors interviewed numerous witnesses, including members of the Oakland City Council, employees of OakDOT, and members of the finance department.

The report found, “Oakland officials generally acknowledge that the overall condition of Oakland’s streets has not been good, with Oakland having not invested sufficiently for decades to repave and maintain its streets. Without widespread repaving, Oakland’s streets will continue to deteriorate.”

Oakland does not fund paving or street maintenance with its General Purpose Fund, according to the grand jury. The city relies on its share of Measure BB sales tax, gas tax, bond funding, and vehicle license fee money.