‘Giant pothole’ filled in by Arnold Schwarzenegger was actually a ‘service trench’ being used by gas company, authorities say | US News

Authorities in Los Angeles have contradicted claims made by Arnold Schwarzenegger that he filled in a ‘giant pothole’ in the Brentwood neighbourhood. The former governor of California had posted a video of him and an accomplice repairing the hole saying that it had been affecting cars and bicycles for weeks. A spokesperson for the City of Los Angeles has said that this was not a pothole but a “service trench” being used for “permitted work” on gas pipes by SoCalGas, the largest natural gas distribution utility company in the US. The company is expected to repair the area once the work is completed at the end of May.
 
Winter storms in California caused cracks and potholes in a number of roads throughout the state. Prior to Schwarzenegger’s intervention, Brentwood residents had allegedly made repeated requests for repairs.
 
The incident highlights the issue of unmaintained roads throughout the US. In January 2017, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) awarded the US’s roads a grade of D-plus in its Infrastructure Report Card 2017. The report found that while some issues had been addressed, including the reversal of a decrease in spending on public transportation and rail infrastructure, “underinvestment” in the sector was a major problem.
 
The ASCE has urged the US to spend over $2tn to address its failing infrastructure by 2025. The report states: “Whether it is the ancient portion of the New York City subway system or aging bridges in cities across the nation, outdated systems are not capable of handling the demands of growing populations, changes in mobility patterns, and exposure to extreme events.” Improved infrastructure could also help to spur economic growth across the country. President Trump has proposed $1tn of spending over a decade, however, only a fraction of that has been promised by lawmakers so far.



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