DIY pothole fix: caution

Re “Compton couple fixed potholes but were told to stop,” April 5

The cease-and-desist order by the city of Compton against residents Daisy and Alex De La Rosa, which dictates that they stop filling potholes on city streets, may seem meanspirited and counterproductive, but it is not.

Potholes are formed by water that seeps into cracks in the roadway surface when it rains. Water is virtually incompressible, and when it gets trapped in a layer between the road surface and the roadbed, the pressure of cars driving on the roadway creates a hydraulic pump. With nowhere else to go, the water follows the path of least resistance by further cracking the road surface, forming potholes.

Patching with a porous material does not prevent more water from leaking under the surface of the road. It is only a temporary fix. In the long run, it may actually make the problem worse.

In order to fix the problem, the roadway surface must be waterproofed.

Jack Debes Santa Monica

I relate to the Compton couple’s frustration with potholes in their neighborhood.

In calling Los Angeles’ 311 phone line to report a large pothole at La Cienega Boulevard and Beverly Place, I was told that mine was the fifth such complaint. The hole had already been repaired, but it caved in and remains an axle breaker.

The person who took my call said the repair was in the queue, and if my car suffers any damage, I can make a claim for any repair reimbursements to the city. Good to know.

In the meantime, being from the “creative city” of West Hollywood, I may take some inspiration from one of the many local marijuana dispensaries and temporarily fill it with a plant — a “pot hole” solution.

Carolyn Campbell

West Hollywood