Rough Roads Ahead

Mission Viejo residents are increasingly aware of the poor condition of streets throughout the city. This blog has published articles and letters to the editor, including an estimate of $85 million to bring all city streets up to good condition. In addition to dodging potholes on arterials, some residents are watching streets deteriorate in front of their homes.

Read a detailed letter this week on Mission Viejo Dispatch about the city’s declining streets and slopes. Allan Pilger’s letter to the editor can be found at http://missionviejodispatch.com/?p=15137 . Pilger estimates the current need for street repairs at $100 million, and city watchdog Joe Holtzman has estimated $17 million to repair and restore city-owned slopes.

As Pilger points out, the city is neglecting infrastructure while continuing its spend-a-thon on nonessential projects. In the city’s 2009 Annual Report (the corporate-style brochure residents recently received in the mail), only $14.9 million is budgeted for maintenance. Perhaps this explains why pavement repairs look like a patchwork quilt instead of streets being resurfaced. As a whole other problem, residents who have reviewed the city’s check register and invoices indicate that expenses associated with festivals, parties, a Rose Parade float, 500 custom-built easels and other throwaways have been charged to “maintenance.”

In an article about the condition of San Diego roads and streets http://www.sdnn.com/sandiego/2010-02-08/politics-city-county-government/pocket-change-politics-city-county-government-news/pocket-change-potholes-a-plenty , writer Steven Bartholow says driving a vehicle on the rough roads of his city costs car owners an additional average of $664 per year in repairs.

Residents might also consider how street conditions affect the value of their homes. Prospective buyers are likely to notice if the street in front of a house for sale has cracks two inches wide or Band-Aid patches every few feet.