SAN DIEGO – It’s known as the ‘Crown Jewel’ of San Diego, but drivers in La Jolla are getting anything but the royal treatment when it comes to the roads. Potholes are plaguing the area.
The city of San Diego is currently working on addressing the issue in La Jolla. In particular, the La Jolla Parkway, one of the main major roadways linking tourists and residents to the popular tourist destination, will be resurfaced as part of Mayor Todd Gloria’s “Sexy Streets” initiative.
Tourists and San Diegans alike, looking to cruise down the streets of La Jolla, are commonly greeted to bumps in the road, as excessive January rain is only adding to the already ever-growing issue for residents like Nikolas Valdez.
“After the rain, the potholes either got bigger or there were new ones that opened up. They are not small potholes, they’re massive, they’re huge, several feet wide, they can cause some real damage,” Valdez said.
Brian Earley is both a resident and chairman of the La Jolla Traffic and Transportation Board. He says the extensive potholes, uneven surfaces and deep cracks overwhelming his streets are a direct result of this.
“I think it’s really, the bigger problem is the deferred maintenance that our streets have been suffering from for a number of administrations and city councils,” Earley said.
Residents stressing neglect saying the patched roads are merely a band aid and urge city leaders for more money directed back to the roads in La Jolla.
“You can go to just about any corner of our town where a road hasn’t been paved in the last five years and you’re going to see some potholes there,” Earley said.
Next Thursday, the La Jolla Town Council will meet at the recreation center to hold a public forum at 5 p.m. at the La Jolla Recreation Center.