With good management, potholes can be history
Nov 26, 2010
POTHOLES have consistently been a major problem to road users in Uganda in general and Kampala in particular.
POTHOLES have consistently been a major problem to road users in Uganda in general and Kampala in particular.
They develop as a result of delaying to attend to small road surface failures which occur when the base layer of the road pavement is not constructed to expected standards.
With rain water collecting on the road surface in those particular areas, the surface is eroded.
The poor drainage systems on most roads worsen the situation by failing to carry away the volume of rain water that flows downhill. As a result it collects along the road sections which generally weaken the pavement base layer resulting in potholes.
These potholes generate unnecessary traffic jams, cause travel discomfort, damage vehicles and also lead to accidents.
Unfortunately these potholes are repaired in a shoddy manner. Many times the work is done at night, is poorly supervised and the worst part is that the asphalt concrete used is neither in the required proportions nor is it heated to the required temperature.
The result is that it wears away very fast.
These repairs should be done in such a way that where there is total failure in a road section the remedy should be to carry out new construction right from the sub-grade to the surface dressing layer.
The drainage must be taken into consideration. Potholes should be trimmed to the right depth and filled with the right material.
Unfortunately, most contractors deliberately do not do that. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) can actually eliminate these potholes given their numerous standard works on roads in West Nile, the eastern and western regions of the country.
They are also doing good work in the central region. All this shows they can contribute towards city roads management positively and effectively.
Among other things, UNRA can do to eliminate potholes from the highways is attaching contractors to particular road sections to maintain them either monthly or quarterly.
They should also set aside standby funds to deal with emerging potholes and create a robust pothole monitoring and management system to totally eliminate the problem.
With the good supervision of the completed work they have exhibited and their adequate funding base, I am quite confident they can solve the problem of potholes on our roads.
This in turn would go a long way in ensuring there is less discomfort and fewer accidents on our roads.
Isaac Ibanda
Ibhaconservices@gmail.com
They develop as a result of delaying to attend to small road surface failures which occur when the base layer of the road pavement is not constructed to expected standards.
With rain water collecting on the road surface in those particular areas, the surface is eroded.
The poor drainage systems on most roads worsen the situation by failing to carry away the volume of rain water that flows downhill. As a result it collects along the road sections which generally weaken the pavement base layer resulting in potholes.
These potholes generate unnecessary traffic jams, cause travel discomfort, damage vehicles and also lead to accidents.
Unfortunately these potholes are repaired in a shoddy manner. Many times the work is done at night, is poorly supervised and the worst part is that the asphalt concrete used is neither in the required proportions nor is it heated to the required temperature.
The result is that it wears away very fast.
These repairs should be done in such a way that where there is total failure in a road section the remedy should be to carry out new construction right from the sub-grade to the surface dressing layer.
The drainage must be taken into consideration. Potholes should be trimmed to the right depth and filled with the right material.
Unfortunately, most contractors deliberately do not do that. The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) can actually eliminate these potholes given their numerous standard works on roads in West Nile, the eastern and western regions of the country.
They are also doing good work in the central region. All this shows they can contribute towards city roads management positively and effectively.
Among other things, UNRA can do to eliminate potholes from the highways is attaching contractors to particular road sections to maintain them either monthly or quarterly.
They should also set aside standby funds to deal with emerging potholes and create a robust pothole monitoring and management system to totally eliminate the problem.
With the good supervision of the completed work they have exhibited and their adequate funding base, I am quite confident they can solve the problem of potholes on our roads.
This in turn would go a long way in ensuring there is less discomfort and fewer accidents on our roads.
Isaac Ibanda
Ibhaconservices@gmail.com