Nearly 100 potholes detected in S’pore in first 12 days of 2025
Nearly 100 potholes were detected in the first 12 days of 2025 amid prolonged rainfall across Singapore, though overall annual figures have seen a significant dip in recent years.
These included several along a stretch of Tanah Merah Coast Road in the past few days, which were captured on video by a cyclist on Jan 11.
In the four-minute-long clip shared on Facebook, more than 20 potholes can be seen across three lanes in Tanah Merah Coast Road.
The potholes were filled with water, likely due to the rain that fell across Singapore during the monsoon surge between Jan 10 and 13.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) was alerted to the potholes and repaired them on Jan 12, said a spokesman, in response to queries from The Straits Times.
There was only one pothole when LTA inspected the same stretch of roads on Jan 9, and it was fixed immediately, said the spokesman.
LTA noted that the close to 100 potholes detected from Jan 1 to 12 is still fewer than the 776 potholes found during the same period in 2024.
In January and February 2024, LTA observed about 60 per cent more potholes compared with the same period in 2023, due to longer and more intense rainfall in the first two weeks of the year.
Cracks form on road surfaces as part of normal wear and tear, and they are usually repaired as part of LTA’s regular inspection, maintenance and road resurfacing works.
Potholes form when water seeps into these cracks and widen as vehicles travel over them.
“This occurrence is worsened by prolonged heavy rainfall,” said the spokesman.
But with more pre-emptive road maintenance in recent years, the number of potholes detected across Singapore annually has been falling steadily since 2021, according to figures provided by LTA.
There were 3,013 potholes in 2024, down from 9,702 in 2021, 4,517 in 2022 and 3,817 in 2023.
Some pre-emptive steps taken by LTA include expediting localised resurfacing on roads with a higher concentration of heavy vehicles or higher traffic volume.
With Singapore currently in the wet phase of the north-east monsoon, which is set to last till end-January, Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay advised motorists to ensure their cars are well-maintained.
He said: “Drivers can prepare themselves for wet weather by ensuring their car wipers are working and their tyres have enough grip.”
When motorists encounter potholes, they should avoid the hole and slow down, where possible, as they could suffer a punctured tyre or damage their tyre rim, he added.
The LTA has 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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