By Tyler Wright
Motorists are bearing the brunt of road conditions in the Dandenong Ranges, with costly repair bills to show for the damage.
Hills local Michelle Bosua’s wheel was ripped after her car drove into a deep pothole on Wellington Road on Monday 19 June, taking to social media to air her frustrations.
“Please be aware of two deep potholes, Wellington Rd Eastbound lane near Courtney’s Rd Belgrave South,” Michelle wrote in a Facebook post..
Ms Bosua told the Star Mail she was quoted $180 to get the alloy wheel machine out, with tyre replacement set to cost her around $900 for four wheels.
“I also drive Belgrave-Gembrook Road, and there’s lots of potholes there…there was a crater in the middle of Belgrave for months last year.
“It reaches a point where I got angry and wrote that note… it was more to warn people, but I was just frustrated and thought, ‘I’ve got to say something and warn people about the spot.’
“The problem is, at night it’s exceptionally difficult to spot potholes, and if you’ve got a car directly in front of you, you’re going to see it at the last minute.”
On her way home from work in Kallista, Berwick local Rachel Eastwood also hit a pothole on Wellington Road; for her, it was near the Clematis CFA Fire Brigade Station on Monday 19 June.
She will fork out an estimated $300 to replace a flat tyre.
“I had a spare in my car and the guy from RACV put that on for me so I could get home. I’m getting a new tyre tomorrow morning and hoping there is no further damage or out goings.
“I have never encountered car incidents with pot holes in the past.”
A Department of Transport and Planning (DoTP) spokesperson said crews have been deployed to fix and maintain Wellington Road in the last week.
“Our crews have fixed eight potholes along Wellington Road between Lysterfield and Clematis in the past week,” they said.
“We regularly check our arterial road network, including weekly inspections along Wellington Road.”
The DoTP said alongside the 2022/23 Victorian Budget commitment of more than $780 million to repair, rebuild and resurface over one thousand roads, an additional $165 million has been put towards an emergency road repair blitz because of extreme rainfall.
According to RACV’s Head of Policy, James Williams, there has been a “marked increase” in reported potholes on Victorian roads since late 2022.
“Heavy rain is often the biggest contributor to potholes on regional roads, presenting hazards for car drivers, motorcyclists and cyclists,” Mr Williams said.
“Large potholes have the potential to cause severe damage to your tyres, wheels, suspension, exhaust and/or vehicle body, and in some cases can even lead to drivers losing control of their vehicle.”
The DoTP spokesperson said due to periods of above average rainfall, potholes and road surface damage has occurred but crews have been mobilised to inspect every kilometre of Victoria’s road network, including Wellington Road.
“As part of our maintenance program, we’ve invested more than $155,000 in delivering maintenance works along Wellington Road, this includes resurfacing works between Summit Road and Cornish Road,” the spokesperson said.
Mr Williams said drivers should avoid sudden braking when they encounter a pothole because it can cause dangerous swerving into oncoming traffic.
“Keep a firm control of the steering wheel – which can be jolted with impact,” he said.
“Some puddles can be hiding large potholes underneath them, so you should avoid driving over puddles where possible, and never drive through floodwaters.
“If you do hit a pothole and you’re concerned about potential damage to your vehicle, pull over to a safe space and contact RACV Emergency Roadside Assist on 13 11 11 for assistance.”
DoTP encouraged people who notice potholes or defects in the road surface to contact the VicRoads customer service hotline on 13 11 70.
