The Johannesburg Roads Agency is in the process of testing a new pothole repair technology that it hopes will help its efforts to provide safe road infrastructure for all.

According to the JRA the city is on an urgent quest to help repair roads that are currently damaged by potholes and need urgent attention.  “The formation of potholes on the City’s roads has doubled due aging infrastructure as well as resent months of rains,” the JRA explains.

“As an organisation that is committed to providing quality roads that are accessible, safe and liveable for our communities, the JRA is currently testing the Jetpatcher Road Repair Machine,” it adds.

New opportunities

The agency says the machine will not replace the current workforce but rather assist the JRA in accelerating the repair of potholes. It adds that it will also present workers with an opportunity to learn new skills with the new patching technology.

The system was tested between the 4 February 2019 and 19 February 2019 and has repaired 2700 potholes thus far. The repairs included big patches of 1 square meter and potholes of less 0.5 square meters within 14 days.

Availing resources

“200 potholes on average per day were repaired. This is by far best production by a Jetpatching machine compared to average 40 potholes repaired using four patching teams,” the JRA explains.

The testing took place in one region and is expected to move on. “The work force in those regions was ecstatic as to what the machine could achieve meaning that if the organisation can invest in the Jetpatcher system the pothole problems can become a thing of the past; and in return more resources can be available to do other road related defects.”