The ACT government has filled in more potholes in the last four months than in the preceding year, with wet weather wreaking havoc on the territory's road surfaces.
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But Transport Minister Chris Steel has moved to act quickly on a $4 million election promise to keep on top of road maintenance.
Roads ACT repaired 2830 potholes between July and October this year, while the agency repaired 2719 potholes in the 2019-20 financial year.
Water entering through cracks in the road weakens the surface before pot holes open up. The higher-than-average rain fall this year has led to a proliferation of pot holes.
Mr Steel said the ACT government had immediately begun work to fix the additional pot holes following Labor's election promise.
"This will not only include immediate use of cold-mix asphalt, but also heavy patching where appropriate to permanently repair the road pavement," Mr Steel said.
"This is in addition to the ongoing preventative road maintenance program which began in October, and will ensure that our city is well presented and safe for all Canberrans."
In a reply to a 2017 question on notice, then transport and city services minister Meegan Fitzharris told the Legislative Assembly the approximate cost for repairing a single, average-sized pothole was $47 in materials.
In 2015, a drop in the number of claims for government compensation by ACT road users was attributed to a faster program of pothole repair.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
