34% more potholes found on local roads in early 2023
SINGAPORE – Blame your bumpier road commutes on the weather.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it detected 1,123 potholes in the first two months of 2023 – 34 per cent, or 285, more than the same period in 2022 – due to the higher intensity of rain Singapore experienced during this time.
But this year’s figure was far below that of 2021, when there were 3,318 potholes detected over the same period.
The LTA was responding to a request for details from The Sunday Times following a question raised in Parliament by MP Melvin Yong (Radin Mas) on the prevalence of potholes on the roads.
The LTA said that typically, during the dry season, it detects about 200 potholes a month. During the monsoon period, the number of potholes swells to between 800 and 1,000.
Potholes may be discovered during the routine inspection of the 9,500 lane-kilometres under the LTA’s purview, as well as from reports submitted by the public.
They form when water gets into cracks on the road surface. The LTA said the cracks, which result over time through wear and tear, are usually repaired as part of regular inspection, maintenance and road resurfacing work.
When a pothole is detected, the repair would usually be done within 24 hours, the LTA said, assuming that the road surface is sufficiently dry for the work to be completed properly.
During a wet spell, additional inspections are conducted, and more resources are deployed accordingly to expedite pothole repairs, it added.
The LTA said that because of the more intense rainfall in recent years, it is also speeding up the localised resurfacing work on the slower lanes of roads, which tend to have a higher concentration of heavy vehicles and high traffic volume.
“Should there be prolonged rainfall, we will first patch the affected road temporarily to ensure safety and wait for the weather to improve before carrying out the conventional, long-lasting rectification”, the authority added.
The LTA urges the public to report road defects such as potholes through its website (www.lta.com.sg), the “Snap & Send” function on the MyTransport.SG mobile application or the Municipal Services Office’s OneService application.
It is important for the repairs to be done quickly.
The Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS) said that once a pothole forms, it can easily grow in size and depth as passing vehicles further wear down the surface, while rain and flooding can wash away the worn surface.
To avoid hitting potholes, the AAS advises motorists to look beyond the vehicle that is directly ahead.
It also advises drivers against swerving their vehicle to dodge potholes as they may lose control of their vehicle or put themselves in the path of other vehicles. If there is no way around a pothole, the best practice is to slow down and “coast over” the pothole, while maintaining a firm grip on the steering wheel to avoid losing control of the vehicle.
In particular, the AAS said that motorists should not jam on the brakes when their vehicle is already going over the pothole as this will cause the vehicle to nosedive, potentially causing damage to the vehicle.
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