After recent heavy rain in the Orange district, Orange City Council is switching the emphasis of its road repair strategy to potholes.
With around 120mm of rain recorded so far this month in Orange, local roads are feeling the impact and Council crews are responding.
Orange City Council's Deputy Mayor, Gerald Power said the switch from large scale patching to potholes is about keeping our local roads safe.
"While the recent rain is very welcomed, long-term Orange residents know that rain also means extra potholes," Cr Power said. "When the ground is so wet, any tiny cracks in a road surface can lead to a pothole. We're getting on with the work to get to as much of this done as we can."
Following recent heavy rain, last week pothole patching focused on:
- Redgum Ave, near Pine Ridge Drive
- Cadia Rd, near Ballykeane Lane
- Emu Swamp Road, near Mitchell Highway
- Pinnacle Road, near James Road
- Whiley Road, from Spring Hill Lane to Warburton Lane
- Kurim Ave, from Lone Pine Ave to Attunga Place
- Beasley Road, near Comins Road
In these areas, more than 915 potholes were repaired.
Last week, Council's road repair crew also worked on correcting surface defects. Repairing cracks and damaged road surfaces is aimed at preventing potholes before they happen. This work happened in:
- Emu Swamp Road, near the Mitchell Highway
- Whitton Place, from Cargo Road to Wirringulla Place
- Sampson Stret, from Rosemary Lane to March Street
In these areas, 325 square metres of seal was applied.
"This rain has led to some unavoidable damage to the road surface. The more a car drives over a damaged surface, the quicker a pothole will appear," Cr Power said.
"Orange residents know it's a seasonal thing and that potholes are part-and-parcel of heavy rains. We know that filling a pothole with asphalt and gravel is a short-term band-aid but it makes the roads safe."
