Before the rainy season began, Guadalajara city officials admitted they would be unable to achieve their goal made on taking office to fill all the municipality’s baches (potholes) before the beginning of June – in time for the rainy season.
Potholes can appear like magic even in the dry season, but the problem magnifies as the rains pound the city’s delicate and defenseless asphalt street surfaces.
A major problem is that many of the city’s streets are “beyond remedy,” says Francisco Castillo, Guadalajara’s director of general services.
“It’s complex,” he said recently, noting that quick pothole filling fixes are no substitute for the hundreds of streets that really need to be resurfaced.
Civic groups, including “Adopt a Pothole,” blame local authorities for using low-grade materials to fill city potholes.