Council prioritises pothole repairs following recent rain

Livingstone Shire Council is facing a big job in repairing hundreds of potholes throughout the shire following light rainfall over the past month that has impacted many roads.

As opposed to heavy rain, which tends to sheet away quickly, light rain has time to penetrate through the sealed pavement surface and soften the road foundations. Coupled with wheel loads from vehicles, this light rain weakens the pavement seal resulting in potholes.

Portfolio holder of Transport (Roads, Drainage, Pathways), Councillor Glenda Mather, said Council crews have been responding to an increase in service requests and in some cases temporary measures may be necessary until machinery is able to return to complete further works.

"The good news is that Council has prioritised pothole repairs with road crews actively filling potholes across the 550 kilometres of Council-managed sealed road network,” Cr Mather said.

“Council acknowledges the community’s frustration with the level of potholes and we want to assure residents that all efforts are being made to clear the backlog.

“Roads with higher volumes of traffic naturally cause the most damage and are prioritised over less trafficked roads, as the busier roads are used by a higher proportion of road users. 

“We urge drivers to exercise caution and drive to conditions.”

Potholes can be reported to Council’s 24/7 Online Service Centre which is linked to Council’s website https://www.livingstone.qld.gov.au/