WAGGA’S pothole-plagued roads need to be torn up and relaid according to a former Wagga deputy mayor and chairman of the Wagga Traffic Committee.
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Lindsay Vidler said the 83mm of rain in June – more than 30mm above the monthly average – was taking a heavy toll on Wagga’s worn roads.
It comes after safety concerns about potholes forming at the foot of the brand new Kapooka Bridge and fresh pockmarks along Lake Albert Road, Gregadoo and Plumpton Roads.
“Some roads in Wagga need tearing up and resurfacing completely,” Mr Vidler said.
“All our roads have cracks in them, which is a sign of water under the surface.
“The infrastructure's getting older and there’s not the work being done on the roads there should be.”
Wagga woman Christine Buckland – whose car bumper sticker reads “I’m not drunk, just dodging potholes in Wagga Wagga” – raised doubts about the efficacy of maintenance work.
“They're filling the holes with hot mix, which lifts up from underneath when the water seeps under,” Ms Buckland said.
“They fill potholes with bitumen and tar, which sinks or gets knocked back out.
“They should be using an asphalt emulsion slurry seal that lasts for years.”
Wagga man Stephen Kelly compared Gregadoo Road to a “minefield”.
“It’s always been a problem but they just patch it and patch it again,” Mr Kelly said.
“I don’t understand why it constantly washes away, Sydney has much higher rainfall and they don’t have nearly as many potholes.”
Local geotechnical engineers and asphalters have cautioned against blaming council’s engineering staff, suggesting a combination of truck traffic, subgrade soils with poor weight bearing capacity and urban salinity could be to blame.
Wagga mayor Rod Kendall said local motorists would have to do their best to avoid potholes until the weather impoves.
“We’ve had an extended period of wet weather and while it's raining you can't effectively repair potholes,” Cr Kendall said.
Council general manager Alan Eldridge was not available for comment, but a council spokeswoman blamed above-average rainfalls in May and June for the state of the roads.
“With a road network of 2300km it’s impossible for Council to know exactly where a pothole is at any given time, so it’s great when the community can help by being the eyes on the ground,” she said.
“Residents can report a pothole by phoning 1300 292 442 or at wagga.nsw.gov.au/onlineservices.”
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