Potholes sprouting like mushrooms in Limerick overnight due to incessant rain

POTHOLES are sprouting up overnight like mushrooms due to incessant rain, a council meeting has heard.

Potholes were the main topic of conversation after Trevor McKechnie, senior executive engineer, roads, traffic and cleansing gave a presentation at March’s Cappamore-Kilmallock Municipal District meeting.

Mr McKechnie informed councillors of the 2024 draft schedule of works in the electoral area.

A total of €14,019,382 is to be spent in the municipal district which includes €4,040,000 for the proposed M20 Limerick to Cork roads.

The second biggest sum is €3,550,921 for road reconstruction followed by €1,150,112 for general maintenance and €454,955 for bridge rehabilitation.

However, at the end of Mr McKechnie’s detailed presentation the main topic on councillors’ lips was potholes.

Cathaoirleach Mike Donegan said it has been a “rough winter” in terms of rain and there are a lot of potholes.

Cllr Brigid Teefy said it must have been the hardest winter that roads engineers have seen.

Mayor Gerald Mitchell spoke about climate change and the amount of rain that is falling.

Mr McKechnie said he has been in Limerick since 1996 and has never seen the like of it. He said it has been raining since July apart from a few weeks.

The mayor of the city and county of Limerick said people get very annoyed by potholes and asked about the purchase of a velocity patcher which forces air at high speed into potholes to clear them out, then the area is coated with cold bitumen to create a perfect seal, before aggregate is coated in bitumen and applied.

Mr McKechnie said they have one but are purchasing a brand new machine.

“There are potholes everywhere,” said Mayor Gerald Mitchell.

Cllr Teefy said road edges are breaking down due to heavy trucks.

Brian Kennedy, director of services, transportation and mobility directorate, said the margins are softer from all the rain.

Cllr Teefy said there was no pothole in the evening when she was travelling a road and then in the morning it was there.

“It came overnight,” said Cllr Teefy.

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Cllr John Egan asked if the inlets could be opened, a point often made by former councillor Noel Gleeson to help keep the water off the roads.

Mr McKechnie said a lot were done at the end of last year but if the councillors were aware of any blocked inlets to let them know.

Cllr Donegan brought up the Rás Tailteann which for the first time in its history, will finish a stage in a Limerick town - Kilmallock. The international cycling race goes through the county in May.

Cllr Donegan stressed the importance of having no potholes on the route for the safety of cyclists.

More good news for Kilmallock is a grant of €200,000 for the Riverside Park under the Outdoor Recreational Infrastructure Scheme