Cutting corners on pothole repairs

THE EDITOR: I am not a road-repair engineer, but it takes only basic common sense to know that if you do a shoddy job, or cut corners when it comes to materials and expertise in the repair of potholes, the problem is bound to resurface – pun intended – in quick time.

This quick fix we so often see taking place when it comes to repairing potholes and general road-surface management is just not cutting it. It is costing people in their wallet through vehicles burning more gas in traffic, as well as repairs to cars.

It is costing citizens in terms of time and productivity lost daily by being stuck in traffic morning and evening.

It is costing people when it comes to their mental well-being as they have to daily contend with miles of traffic, having to get up much earlier to reach to school or work on time and having to dig deeper in their wallets and purses.

There is a particular sink in the road in my home area which has been repaired more than a dozen times, yet after a few days of vehicular traffic, the sink reappears.

I have heard numerous complaints about roads being repaired and potholes fixed and within days, either new potholes appear or the repaired roadwork returns to its original state of disrepair.

If motorists and pedestrians can see that the current system being used to repair our road network is simply not working, why can the authorities also not see this?

There is need to revisit the current failed road-repair systems. There may be even a need to seek advice from outside experts. An explanation is needed for why our entire road network is crumbling before our very eyes.

We just cannot be throwing good money behind road repairs which do not last. We can't keep repairing the same strip of bad roads every week.

The Government keeps singing the same old song: money tight. Well if this is truly the case, why such wastage through shoddy road repairs?

Taxpayers deserve proper infrastructure, including our roadways and highways. Taxpayers need to know and see that the country's infrastructure is being properly maintained. This piecemeal approach to road maintenance just can't go on. It's simply untenable. We deserve better.

ARNOLD GOPEESINGH

San Juan