The ACT Government will increase road maintenance funding by 52 per cent to $153 million over the next four years, “to deliver the good road conditions that Canberra drivers expect,” said Chris Steel, ACT Minister for Transport and City Services.

The program would reseal Canberra roads to extend their life by 20 years, and undertake more rehabilitation, including increasing asphalting by up to 150 per cent.

“This long-term program will see smoother, more resilient roads, that result in safer travel and better drivability, meaning Canberra drivers will save on fuel and vehicle maintenance,” Mr Steel said.

Increased investment in the ACT’s annual road maintenance program – underway now, Mr Steel said – will see resurfacing of the network grow by 268,000 square metres a year to resurface more than 1.26 million square metres per year, concentrating on arterial and collector roads.

“Investing now will reduce road maintenance costs in the long term,” Mr Steel said.

Mr Steel said the changing climate, heavier vehicles, and greater than anticipated ACT population growth had accelerated road degradation and the likelihood of defects such as potholes.

“It’s no secret that roads across south-eastern Australia have taken an absolute battering over the past few years with constant La Nina weather cycles,” Mr Steel said.

“Since 2020, Canberra has experienced heavy and frequent rain events. In October, we experienced Canberra’s wettest month since records began, with more than 2,800 pothole repairs undertaken across the Territory in that month alone.”

In August, Mr Steel said, Roads ACT repaired more than 1,100 potholes, and almost 8,000 potholes in the 2021-22 financial year. In a typical year, the average is 3,000 potholes.

Nicole Lawder MLA, Shadow Minister for City Services, said the Canberra Liberals welcome the ACT Government’s road maintenance announcement.

“Canberrans have repeatedly raised concerns about the dire state of ACT roads, particularly in relation to the amount and severity of potholes,” Ms Lawder said.

“In October, the Canberra Liberals called on the Labor Greens Government to investigate what changes were necessary to the road maintenance approach and to provide residents with a plan to reduce the amount of ratepayers’ money being spent on pothole damage claims.”

• Potholes a perennial problem for Canberra drivers (12 January)

Ms Lawder’s motion noted that the ACT Government had paid more than $43,000 in claims for damages from potholes to motorists in 2022 alone; that the average amount for a pothole claim was $860; and that the number of pothole claims the government paid increased from 16 in 2020 to 40 in 2021 to 50 by October this year. Ms Lawder blamed a lack of proactive road maintenance in warmer months, as well as persistent rain.

“Ignoring community concerns, Labor and the Greens failed to support this motion,” Ms Lawder said. “It is staggering that despite the continued frustrations in the community and the Canberra Liberals’ repeated calls, the government has only now decided to act.”

Mr Steel amended Ms Lawder’s motion, blaming two years of rainfall as a result of La Nina weather events and climate change. The ACT Government was temporarily repairing potholes, focusing on the most dangerous damage, he said; it was difficult to effect repairs during the rain and colder periods of the year. More permanent patching and repair, resealing, and prevention and rehabilitation works would begin as part of the Annual Road Resurfacing Program. Road crews were working around the clock in difficult and unpredictable conditions to provide the ACT community with a safe and reliable road network, Mr Steel said. Roads ACT had provided additional resources to locate and fill potholes throughout the road network, including extending contractor resources, and was working with experts to update the assessment of the road network condition.

The new funding includes funding under the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program.

The program is based on research by the Australian Road Research Board (ARRB), which looked at the condition of the ACT’s roads, and the investment and treatments required to ensure that they are well-maintained over the coming decades.

The ARRB’s CEO, Michael Caltabiano, said: “Based on our research, the ACT Government has chosen the highest cost and highest quality option which will deliver good road conditions in Canberra over the years ahead.”

For more information on the current road resurfacing program, including the daily program and which roads are being resurfaced, visit www.act.gov.au/roadresurfacing.