LTA repairs potholes spotted in Tanah Merah, says they were caused by heavy rain

Several potholes spotted in Tanah Merah were repaired on Jan 12, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Tuesday (Jan 14).

"LTA was alerted to several potholes along Tanah Merah Coast Road on Jan 10 and 11 following heavy rainfall."

A video posted to the Safe Cycling Task Force (SCTF) Facebook page showed over 20 potholes seen along Tanah Merah Coast Road on Jan 11 evening.

"Cyclists and motorists, keep a good lookout when travelling along Tanah Merah Coast Road," cautioned Steven Lim, president of the SCTF.

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, an LTA spokesperson said that as of Jan 12, they have "detected close to 100 potholes island-wide".

This number is lower than the 776 potholes detected during the same period in 2024, the spokesperson added.

LTA also explained how potholes are formed on roads.

Cracks form on the road surface as part of normal wear and tear, and they are usually repaired in LTA's regular inspection, maintenance and road resurfacing works.

"Potholes form when water seeps into these cracks and they widen as vehicles go over them," the spokesperson said. "This occurrence is worsened by prolonged heavy rainfall."

Between Jan 10 and 13, Singapore experienced heavy rainfall amid a monsoon surge — one of the "longer and more intense surge events in recent years", the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) told local media on Monday.

 

 

 

 

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A monsoon surge refers to a strengthening of winds over the South China Sea, causing extensive rainclouds to form over Singapore's surrounding region.

During the monsoon surge, island-wide average daily total rainfall peaked at 120.2mm on Jan 10. National water agency PUB issued two flood risk warnings for Jalan Seaview which saw high water levels and overflowing canals that night.

Prior to the monsoon surge, only one pothole along the same stretch of road in Tanah Merah had been detected and fixed on Jan 9, the LTA spokesperson added.

"To mitigate the impact of heavier rainfall in recent years, LTA is prioritising localised road resurfacing on the slow lane of roads with higher concentration of heavy vehicles, and roads with high traffic volume," LTA said.

"We will continue to closely monitor all roads for defects."

LTA encouraged the public to report road defects such as potholes through its website or the Snap & Send function on the MyTransport.SG mobile app or Municipal Services Office's OneService app.

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What to do when you encounter potholes

According to the Automobile Association of Singapore (AAS), a pothole can easily grow in size and depth as passing vehicles further wear down the surface, while rain and flooding can wash away the worn surface.

AAS advised drivers against swerving their vehicle to avoid potholes as they may lose control of their vehicle or risk collision with other vehicles.

Motorists should not jam their brakes when going over a pothole, as this may cause the vehicle to nosedive, damaging it.

The best practice for a motorist encountering a pothole is to slow down and "coast over" it while firmly gripping the steering wheel to avoid losing control of the vehicle.

Road users travelling on motorcycles and bicycles are more vulnerable to potholes, said Bernard Tay, president of the AAS.

Riders should take precautions such as wearing proper gear and riding at lower speeds, he advised.

In August 2020, a cyclist rode over a pothole, fell and sustained brain injuries. He died in a hospital days later, according to a Facebook post by his family.

In September 2021, a 14-year-old cyclist was hit by a car in Telok Blangah. The teen had reportedly moved out of a lane to avoid a pothole.

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khooyihang@asiaone.com