John J. Camilleri, executive secretary, local council, Mosta
Patching of potholes
I refer to the letter The Shoe And The Pothole Fairytale (February 11). I am not competent to give the expert answer requested by Albert M. Bezzina as to whether this is state-of-the-art practice, however I would like to clarify some matters as to what happened at Ta' Blata l-Għolja.
The weather was very wet during the time in question and potholes were sprouting wherever one looked at a very fast rate. Car owners were calling our offices by the score requesting that these potholes be patched with urgency. A decision had to be taken as to whether to do the patching as a temporary measure or wait for the weather to improve and do the patching when the streets are dry. A choice between two evils, since patching costs money as does footing the bills for car damage. It was, therefore, decided to go ahead with the temporary patching.
In order to dry up the potholes, which were full of water due to the continuous rain, the contractor decided to first fill the potholes with a bed of pulverised, recycled street surface. This material absorbs the water and was later removed with the mechanical sweeper. The potholes were then duly patched with cold asphalt.
I was present during some of these works and was also shown some of the difficulties the contractor had to face when trying to patch up the many potholes in that sort of weather. Strictly speaking, the roads need complete resurfacing and not just patching. But wherefrom the necessary money?
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carmel pule
Feb 22nd 2009, 23:54
Roads are being resurfaced at great speed. Road surfaces crack due rain water seeping in the soft foundations, lubricating the particles and changing the packing factor while the heavy transport vehicles press and undulate the surface.
Now peeling 10 cms off the surface and refilling it with levelled hot asphalt over a dusty film, remaining after peeling the road in dry weather, while the variance in the road packing factor remains unchanged, I know how long the new asphalt will last when vehicles brake and accelerate over the new patches. At Cospicua the patches on inclined roads are already showing the expected slipping and damage at the edges.
With this manner of repair the contractors have secured a lifetime job and I feel that soon, some road contractor would also suggest that it would be better to paint the whole road white rather than paint only the centre line.
I.Cilia
Feb 18th 2009, 16:53
In all fairness to Mr Camilleri, as executive secretary of a Local Council, it is not his job to establish where the money is coming from.
That is the prerogative of the Ministry of Finance. As an executive sec to the council it is Mr Camilleri's job to ensure that actions demanded by the councillors are carried out.
Paul Cave
Feb 18th 2009, 16:00
Isn't that part of your job, John, to answer the question about where the money will come from? Perhaps from the disgustingly high taxes levied on imported 2nd hand cars?