Biker warns on potholes, repairs

An Albany motorcyclist has called on the City of Albany to do more to fix local roads before a serious accident.

Avid rider Ken Ridgers said the increasing number of potholes and repair methods were putting road motorcyclists and cyclists at risk.

These methods include the application of coarse gravel-like material over bitumen which Mr Ridgers said was like driving on ice.

“You’ve got a smooth surface and then throw little tiny (rocks) all over it ... it doesn’t take much gravel for you to lose your grip,” he said. “What they are doing is repairing potholes and making it unsafe for motorcycles, scooters and push bikes.

“A car can slip a couple of inches ... but a motorcycle, as soon as you lose grip it becomes unsafe.

“(I’m) asking for them to clean up after (repairs). The thing is a lot of the time it’s invisible.”

City of Albany Works and Services executive director Matthew Thomson said gravel was applied to ensure the duration of the road repair.

“When a pothole or section of road is repaired aggregate (gravel) is applied to ensure the bitumen is well covered and not picked up by vehicle wheels as they travel over the repaired surface,” he said.

“This is common practice, with loose material swept up by the street sweeper or dispersed by traffic over time.”

Several residents have taken to social media to complain about sections of Lower Denmark Road.

Mr Thomson said repairs were undertaken recently but did not cure in time to cope with recent heat.

“Upgrades were carried out to Lower Denmark Road in 2014 but there was a defect in a section of the work which was done under contract for the City of Albany,” he said.

“The repair was recently completed but the top seal did not cure in time to cope with a recent hot day and it failed in the hot conditions.”

Mr Thomson encouraged residents to report potholes or other failing sections of road within the City of Albany through the City website or app.