Pothole, Weed-Whacker Damages Are Costing Taxpayers Money
02/22/2012
flickr: Bryan_Chan
Flying rogue rocks and crumbling potholes are taking their toll on the state treasury. The state has paid out nearly $73,500 in vehicle damage claims for those incidents over the past year.
Claims for damages from potholes and weed whackers propelling rocks onto cars represent about one-third of all settlements of less than $10,000 for the fiscal year that ended June 2011, according to a Civil Beat review. The settled claims were reported in December by the Department of Accounting and General Services.
A Civil Beat analysis found Hawaii taxpayers paid out $55,393 for a total of 114 pothole-related claims statewide — a 60 percent increase over the previous year. Another $18,073 went to settle 33 claims related to damages from weed whackers on state roads. The weed-whacker payout dropped by 45 percent from the previous fiscal year.
The figures do not include claims related to city roads.
The claims are handled by the state's Risk Management Office, which reports pothole locations to the state Department of Transportation. Potholes on state roads and highways are typically filled on a four- to five-week cycle, according to Transportation Department spokesman Dan Meisenzahl. But, he said heavy rains can prolong that repair window.
The Risk Management Office says the decision to pay a claim is based upon whether the state was negligent, meaning it could have prevented the incident from occurring. Once a claim form is filed, it takes the office about two months to complete an investigation and make decision.
A vehicle owner has to submit estimates or a repair bill, photos and proof of ownership.
Joseph Megna settled with the state for the largest pothole-related claim totaling $2,644 in April 2010. Clayton Takemoto received a $2,185 settlement in May 2010 for a pothole incident involving a motorcycle. Both incidents were reported on the H-1 Freeway.
The largest weed-whacker-related settlement went to Albert Yoshida for $2,003 in October 2010.
Pothole-Related Damage Claims
| FY 2010 Claims | FY 2010 Amount | FY 2011 Claims | FY 2011 Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | $34,618 | 114 | $55,393 |
Weed-Whacker-Related Damage Claims
| FY 2010 Claims | FY 2010 Amount | FY 2011 Claims | FY 2011 Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | $32,767 | 33 | $18,073 |
The report shows the state settled or paid a total of 222 claims for the year, including the potholes and weed-whacker claims, while it denied a total of 302 claims.
DISCUSSION: Can the state be more proactive versus reactive when it comes to road hazards?
