"Filling" potholes

Zoney

So, can someone explain to me why in 2011, the local council's approach to fixing potholes is still to send some men around with a shovel and some stones/tar and slap a bit into the hole? It's an approach that doesn't even usually last for more than a month or two.

If the council insist on only sending round the bare minimum of equipment/labour, why not send the lads round earlier in the road's lifetime to paint tar on the cracks, like they do in sane countries? You know, so that water doesn't get into the cracks and either freeze (breaking up the surface) or seep down in patches and gradually make the foundation unstable? It's not rocket science.

Doing the above it would be fair enough not to bother resurfacing minor roads for decades. (Instead they have to regularly put tar and chippings on the fully worn out surfaces that were never maintained).

I'm really going to crack up myself if I have to watch much more of the nonsense that passes for normal behaviour here.

NFD100

Zoney, I couldn't agree more! The problem is the government is now prepared to spend even more money (money they haven't got, on more of this nonsense) See the new jobs initiative. 60 million euro to fill potholes...

Personally, I wouldn't let councils or their workmen near roads. They aren't qualified nor have they the competence to follow international best practice. 'Ah, sure it'll be grand' attitude' seems to be the order of the day.

All roads should be handed over to the NRA or whatever they are about to be called. Regional roads should be maintained in a consistent manner, in line with best international practice. No, ifs, no buts. I can't believe the fortunes that have been poured into regional and local roads in the past decade, it was money very poorly spent by councils.

wildefalcon

Agreed, you DO know that the material they use for "fixing" potholes is a temporary "cold set" material that should only be used for covering pipes on building sites.

Cheaper than concrete and designed to be smashed out of the way when the pipe needs to be removed.

IN otherwords it's the cheapest stuff imaginable, not even tar and stones!

A proper repair would involve using a consaw to cut a diamond shaped hole (diamond shaped so that tyres don't hit the repair in one go) down to the substructure, repair the substructure, then a layer of coarse followed by a layer of fine tarmacadam.

The whole thing should be plate compacted so that there is NO variation in levels, finally the seam should be sealed with liquid tar.

It isn't rocket science, however you must remember the purpose of local authorities:

It is a place to put political appointees that are too thick to be in the Civil Service.

Story, end of.

busman

Zoney wrote: »

So, can someone explain to me why in 2011, the local council's approach to fixing potholes is still to send some men around with a shovel and some stones/tar and slap a bit into the hole? It's an approach that doesn't even usually last for more than a month or two.

If the council insist on only sending round the bare minimum of equipment/labour, why not send the lads round earlier in the road's lifetime to paint tar on the cracks, like they do in sane countries? You know, so that water doesn't get into the cracks and either freeze (breaking up the surface) or seep down in patches and gradually make the foundation unstable? It's not rocket science.

Doing the above it would be fair enough not to bother resurfacing minor roads for decades. (Instead they have to regularly put tar and chippings on the fully worn out surfaces that were never maintained).

I'm really going to crack up myself if I have to watch much more of the nonsense that passes for normal behaviour here.

You have hit the nail on the head here!
The cause of 95% of potholes is water.
Either standing water or flowing water that washes away the surface.
Without fixing the drainage it doesn't matter what they throw into the holes.

It's not a pothole problem with have with roads its a drainage problem!!!

regedit

I do not know but we must be one of the few countries where roads are constructed without drainage. It is then left to the mercy of the water to find its own way. I heard from someone that the quality of the roads in IE is worst in EU. I do not know if this is a rumor or true. Look at the N7 (i.e. from Newland's Cross to Newbridge). They built the road for the Ryder Cup about 5 years ago and there are many potholes. They first one just before Naas emerged about 1 year after the road was finished. This road has no proper drainage but I think drainage there is not a problem. The potholes on this strip of road are patched up with extremely shoddy materials.
Also, there's a back-road leading from Newhall to Newbridge (Tankardsgarden and Yeomanstown). The road was resurfaced less than 3 years ago and the state of it is unbelievable. I am sure someone did not do the job for free and there was tender (you hope) where Kildare Co Co set in writing the minimum criteria for this road. No drainage whatsoever, road sinking where it never sunk before, very poor signage, the final layer (probably the only one) laid down onto muck with no proper borders. In other words, shambles.