The cost of potholes

The mayor didn't don a hardhat. But he did put on work gloves as he announced his new attack on potholes today. CNS is still trying to figure out how the new "Operation Smooth Ride" differs from his "Operation Pothole" announced last year:

According to the mayor’s office, Los Angeles drivers spend an average of $693 a year to repair damage caused by bad road conditions and potholes. Nearly 500,000 auto insurance claims are filed each year for pothole mishaps. This isn’t the first time Villaraigosa has declared war on potholes. Last year, he announced a program to fill 300,000 potholes across the city. Between September and December 2005, city crews filled 80,173 potholes at a cost of $450,000 during "Operation Pothole." It usually costs the city $5 to $21 to fix a pothole in the city, depending on its size, according to the Department of Street Services.