THERE’S nothing like a great big dirty pothole to destroy street appeal, and after recent rain and floods, they’re an unfortunate common sight.
And while the whole city is wearing the cost of floods – more than $2.5 million in council costs alone being attributed to the February-March deluge.
More than 1000 potholes have been fixed by council, and they’ve had 389 sealed roads, and 157 unsealed roads damaged by rising water since February.
That’s a lot of damage, and people are letting council know with 2305 request to fix roads after the two most recent floods in February and May.
Of those, 728 related to potholes.
It’s likely not all that cost will be a burden to ratepayers. Council says it’s working with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to secure funding to help with the clean-up and recovery.
“Despite continued rain, supply shortages and workforce impacts from Covid-19, 1083 potholes (reported and unreported) have been repaired across the City of Logan,” a council statement said.
Council’s infrastructure chief Teresa Lane said roads and recovery teams had been working around the clock, but acknowledged there was a long way to go.
“We’re only now just getting a good idea about the extent of the damage and it’s enormous,” Cr Lane said.
“Council has found more than 1800 defects across the city’s 2200km road network, ranging from small things like cracking and potholes to drainage culverts being completely destroyed.”
A new taskforce has been formed to oversee the repairs and restoration of flooded roads.
“I thank residents for their patience and understand that the full rebuild will take potentially years, not months, to complete,” Cr Lane said.
Despite the disruption, the latest quarterly Capital Roadworks and Drainage Program report shows that most scheduled works remain on-time and on-budget.
Total expenditure for the quarter was $70.6 million, only slightly above the budgeted $69.1 million.
Projects in construction or scheduled to commence in upcoming months include:
• $26 million – commencement of road works associated with the Chambers
Flat Road upgrade between Kenny Rd and Mt Lindsay Hwy
• $17.2 million – commencement of stormwater network upgrades for stage 1 to
5 of the Kelly Street catchment in Eagleby
• $15.4 million – commencement of stormwater Network upgrades for stages 1
and 2 of the Cowper Avenue catchment in Eagleby
• $1.3 million – Completion of stage 2 of the Defiance Road (Woodridge)
catchment master drainage project
• $300,000 – Rehabilitation of the car park outside Woodhill State School
• $9.7 million – Asphalt resurfacing, spray sealing works and pavement
rehabilitation at numerous locations complete
• $1.7 million – Kerb and channel and stormwater pit rehabilitation at numerous
locations complete.
Potholes can be reported on 34123412 or online at logan.qld.gov.au/onlineservices
