 "Photo: Photo Illustration by Samuel Oksner, Chief Photographer | Valley Star")
Under the shade of the pine trees lining the south side of Valley College's Parking Lot G, are potholes and broken asphalt that create trip hazards for Valley's students and wheel alignment hazards for student's cars. In some potholes, shinning tree roots bear testimony to the car tires that have traveled the bumpy pathway of this asphalt, pothole jungle.
"It's not much of a surface, if you can even call it a surface," said Valley student Andrea Baker. "I've parked everywhere on it and the whole thing is broken up. It's pretty bad all over."
Students who park in Lot G must walk the deteriorated pavement, being careful not to twist an ankle, or worse.
"In 2009, I've seen seven reported cases of injuries that have occurred on campus," said Valley Physician Assistant, Sonia Nodal. "Some injuries have occurred from trips on uneven pavement to injuries from a dance class or just simply tripping on nothing."
In areas of Lot G, discolorations in the asphalt pavement mark where past pothole repairs have been completed. Sixty pound bags of asphalt patch on the back of one electric cart, parked outside the carpenter's shop, reveal the possibility that pavement repairs may presently be going on at Valley.
The college receives no state scheduled maintenance money for parking lot repairs, according to Valley's Director of Campus Facilities, Tom Lopez.
"The state says they (parking lots) don't qualify, because they generate revenue," said Lopez. "We're working to upgrade Valley's pavement through bond money as new building projects go forward on campus. In the meantime, we use maintenance personnel to patch the potholes and if it's really bad, we contract out the bigger repairs."
Weather forecasters are predicting a weather condition known as El Nino, that could mean a wetter than normal winter. With the potential for high levels of rainfall pouring down on already badly deteriorated pavement, the prospect for greater deterioration of Valley's parking lot surfaces is a reality.
"Lot G is still better than a dirt parking lot," said Baker. "But that parking lot could definitely use a resurfacing."
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