California roads
Here in California, although we're known for our cars and freeways, most of our roads are done on the cheap. Because most areas don't freeze in the winter, the road gods decreed that the roadway need not be as deep and robust as they might be in the Midwest or New England.
The problem is that car and truck traffic has gotten heavier and heavier, and the thin road surfaces just can't take all the SUV's and bottled water trucks pounding it day in and day out. The freeways are built to better standards, but even they are prone to premature failure. And the locals streets are a joke. My own block was repaved about 10 years ago. They came along and told every one to get their cars off the street. They ripped out the old pavement, and graded the dirt underneath nice and smooth. Then they went away for a month so everyone could drive on the dirt and make it uneven again. When the road workers returned, did they regrade the dirt? No. They just put down a thin layer of gravel and then the tar. It's a joke. What should have been a smooth, flat road, is an undulating mediocre thing that will sprout more potholes prematurely. On top of all that, a year later I called the water company to complain about the low pressure (when my neighbor has his lawn sprinklers on, my water pressure and flow drops). The water company guy said, "Oh, when they repave the road, we're supposed to put in a bigger water main on this street". When I informed him that the road was just repaved, he looked shocked and said it was supposed to be coordinated.
Still haven't seen that new water main... and meanwhile various homeowners are building additions on their property, more baths, more demand for water, etc.
Your taxes (and water bills) at work!
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