Road Maintenance

We look after roads in a few different ways, depending on what’s needed:

Routine Maintenance (Day-to-day upkeep)

This is the regular work that keeps roads in good condition:

• Fixing potholes
• Street sweeping (removing litter and debris)
• Cleaning roadside drains
• Repainting line markings

Periodic Maintenance (Planned resurfacing)

This helps prevent roads from wearing out too quickly:

• Resealing (spraying bitumen and spreading stone on the surface)
• Resurfacing (laying a new layer of asphalt)
• Grading road shoulders
• Sealing cracks

Rehabilitation (Full rebuilds)

Used when a road is seriously worn out or damaged:

• Rebuilding the road from the base up
• Stabilising the lower layers
• Replacing kerbs and drainage channels

Emergency Maintenance

This is urgent work in response to damage from storms or accidents:

• Repairing flood damage
• Filling sinkholes
• Setting up temporary traffic controls

Asset Preservation

This is preventative work to protect the road before it becomes a problem:

• Surface treatments
• Crack sealing
• Upgrading drainage
• Early repairs to avoid bigger costs later

Below are examples of different types of road defects.

Council inspects roads regularly as part of our Road Management Plan. If we find something unsafe, like a big pothole or damaged surface, we act quickly to reduce the risk.

When planning bigger upgrades, we look at:

• The condition of the road over time
• How much traffic it carries
• How strong the base layers are
• Whether drainage is working properly

All this helps us decide which roads need work first and which can wait.

We often hear this question, and here’s why it might not have happened yet:

1. The road might still be in good shape underneath.
   Even if the surface looks cracked, the structure below might be fine, and we prioritise roads that are actually breaking down.
2. Other roads might be higher priority.
   Roads with lots of traffic, school zones, or safety issues usually come first.
3. It might already be planned.
   Your road could be on our schedule for the next financial year - we plan resurfacing well in advance.
4. We have to work within our budget.
   Like all Councils, we only have so much funding. We balance road maintenance with other important services.

Different roads have different lifespans depending on the materials and how often they’re used:

• Asphalt roads (sealed): 20–30 years
• Concrete roads: 30–50 years
• Gravel/unsealed roads: 5–10 years
• Spray-sealed roads (bitumen + stone): 10–15 years

Council inspects roads regularly to check for defects caused by traffic and weather. The frequency depends on how busy the road is. The following maximum frequencies are part of Council’s Road Management Plan and are reviewed as required:

We’re also using more recycled materials to reduce waste and make our roads more environmentally friendly:

• Recycled crushed concrete – used under the road surface
• Crushed bricks – blended into the road base
• Glass fines – finely crushed glass used in asphalt
• Reclaimed asphalt – recycled from old road surfaces
• Crumb rubber – made from old tyres and added to asphalt for extra durability