Potholes forcing
cars to limp in
for repairsThe city has gotten 144 calls
regarding new gaps in roadways
Business at several Oahu repair shops has jumped because of tires damaged by potholes created by last week's storms.
"I had three people come in on Saturday," said Dino Botelho, owner of D.J.'s Tire Service and Repair Inc. in Waipahu. "There was one that needed four new tires."
Two city crews were busy repairing potholes between Aloha Stadium and Hawaii Kai yesterday after heavy rains struck Oahu starting Friday. Three city crews are expected to continue repairs today, said Larry Leopardi, director of the city Department of Facility Maintenance.
The city's pothole hot line received 144 calls from Thursday to Sunday, while the state's pothole hot line was filled with 25 calls over the weekend.
The number of potholes repaired as a result of the recent thunderstorm was not available. Workers repaired nearly 28,000 potholes from storms in December and January.
Along with tire repairs, Botelho said motorists are ordering custom-made rims -- between $200 and $800 each -- to replace those damaged by potholes.
"There was a $400 rim that got destroyed," he said.
In the past two weeks, Lex Brodie's Tire Co. in Waipahu saw a 20 percent increase in tire replacements or repairs because of potholes or other weather-related reasons, said manager Louis Ilac.
Leopardi said workers are primarily clearing debris from stream channels, drainage systems and the roads should heavy rains return.
"We want to make sure the roads are clear first," he said. "Whenever it rains, there is more blockage and potential damage."
Some workers in outlying areas were also clearing debris and patching potholes, said Leopardi.
The city will start resurfacing work on Kaheka Street starting today through Friday if weather permits. Work will be done from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. One lane will be closed during that time.
The project is part of the city's emergency repair work to resurface streets damaged by heavy rain and vehicles. The city set aside $2 million in January for the designated repairs.
Workers have since resurfaced major portions of Beretania Street, Kapiolani Boulevard, Kalakaua Avenue and Young Street. The city is planning to target other high-volume traffic areas in the Honolulu district.
"They held very well," said city spokeswoman Carol Costa. "To my understanding, right now, we're out filling potholes. We are not going out to areas that already had resurfacing work done."
The city administration proposed $40 million for fiscal year 2005 in the capital improvement projects budget for street and parking lot improvements.
According to the state Department of Transportation, Grace Pacific Corp. will start repairing potholes today at Nimitz Highway, Pali Highway and Kamehameha Highway from Makalapa to Waipahu. The department received a number of calls about potholes on the westbound lanes of Moanalua Freeway and on the westbound lanes of the H-1 freeway near the Sears Distribution Center.