Local roads are literally cracking up because of the lousy weather, but it’s a scenario that is all too familiar for council’s outdoor staff.

While motorists are busy trying to dodge the problem spots, a break in the weather is expected to offer a chance to remedy the situation.

City engineer Doug Patterson said on Wednesday that council has strategies in place for dealing with this problem.

“We are mindful of the conditions and try to put on extra crews in an effort to combat the pothole problem. It’s nothing new for us,” he said.

“Bathurst has had many of these extended wet periods over the decades. There are always more and more demands on the road network and the pavements are ageing and have increasing traffic volumes.

“The older pavements are the ones more susceptible to damage. Once there is a crack in the surface, water gets into the pavement, making it more likely to fail.

“From there the force of the water being pushed into the crack, with constant traffic, forces it open and the pothole gets bigger.”

Once the wet period ends, council will go through and do further repair work to bring the roads back to an acceptable condition, Mr Patterson said.

“Maintenance is cyclical, so in the short term this damage will not impact on council’s maintenance budget,” he said.

Councillor Warren Aubin from council’s traffic committee said residents can report potholes so they can be added to the list for patching.

“We try to respond as quickly as possible, but when you’ve had weather like our region is experiencing at present, they need to be patient,” he said. 

“With 1700 kilometres of roads in the region’s network, we have a lot to look after.”