Poor roads and potholes pose danger to motorists
Several Boksburg roads are in a very bad condition, and following the recent weather conditions, driving on these roads has become difficult.
Some roads have developed crater-like potholes that were expanding by the day.
The potholes potentially can cause damage to vehicles and lead to traffic congestion as motorists negotiate their way around the visible dangers.
Severe potholes were spotted on Rietfontein Road just before North Rand Road next to East Rand Mall, Rietfontein Road next to The Square Spar, Rondebult Road North after the intersection of Rondebult and Main Reef Road, and also a huge hole at the traffic lights on corner of Rondebult and Leeuwpoort Street.
Many other smaller potholes are also littered across the city, such as the one at the corner of Leon Ferreira Road and St Anthony’s Street, Reiger Park.
Some people say this is apparently due to the recent torrential rains, however, Ward 92 Clr Graham Gersbach says, the cause of this problem is a combination of many things.
Gersbach says that even though the potholes are a consequence of the rain, poor quality of the roads are also to be blamed.
“The roads are not being maintained and the potholes are not being properly fixed by the metro.
“In most cases potholes reappear on the same spots,” says Gersbach.
Gersbach adds that the deplorable conditions of the city’s roads are also a result of E-tolling, because many drivers are choosing alternative routes in order to avoid tolled highways.
The increased traffic volumes, including heavy trucks in particular, has also caused damage to most of the alternative routes.
According to Gersbach, some of the roads were not designed for high volume of traffic, such as heavy trucks.
Gersbach expresses concern over the state of the roads in the city and appealed to the responsible authorities to take swift action, before the potholes cause injuries and damages to vehicles.
He also urges the metro to monitor the roads itself, instead of relying on residents’ complaint to attend to these problems.
No comment received from the metro at the time of going to press.
Just like I have been complaining and reporting 2 very bad potholes in Hercules Street, Impala Park but nothing gets done!!