[Roads] are getting worse because we’re not spending enough to maintain them.
Three-quarters of our roads are managed by local councils.
Every year, those councils spend A$1 billion less on maintenance than is needed to keep those roads in their current condition – let alone improve them.
New Grattan Institute research finds the typical regional area has a funding shortfall of more 40%. In remote areas, it’s more than 75%.
One reason for this underspend is that untied federal government grants to local councils haven’t kept pace with soaring costs.
[…]
Tight budgets make it tempting to delay maintenance.
But delaying will only end up costing more in the long run, leaving taxpayers paying more to fix more badly damaged roads.
If the road had a decent foundation to start with, potholes shouldn’t form at all.
If the foundation of the road has been compromised, patching a pothole will not prevent it from coming back.
Road construction tenders in the late 1990s, early 2000s were very competitive so there are a lot of roads built during this period that were built on a shoestring with no repair clauses. (ie. shit)
What‽ But we were told more competition would lead to higher quality at a lower price!