Builder issued with repair bill over 'chunk of road missing' along Northbourne Avenue

The damaged section of road at 330 Northbourne Avenue, southbound. Photo: James Coleman.

Roads ACT has had to step in to repair what motorists describe as a “chunk of road missing” and “a f****** chasm” out the front of a construction site along Northbourne Avenue after continued complaints the civil contractor wasn’t doing the job well enough.

For the past few nights, the contractor has been laying stormwater pipes under the tarmac near 330 Northbourne Avenue in Dickson for a nearby apartment complex.

An ACT Government spokesperson said they’re required “to restore the road to a safe condition for the following day”, but with recent rainfall, “these restoration works have sunken and resulted in a road defect”.

Motorists have hit out to complain about the repair job on social media and criticise the lack of signage.

A post to the Canberra Reddit forum on Monday (26 August) claimed there was “no warning for a chunk of road missing” across all three lanes.

“Why aren’t there any signs or fair warning to slow down in a 60 km/h zone so your car doesn’t get damaged due to the extreme chunk of road being cut out?” it read.

“The car is now making a noise it wasn’t making before and no doubt a wheel alignment is now required ASAP! Another disastrous road work stuff-up in Canberra.”

The road has been dug up to make way for stormwater infrastructure. Photo: James Coleman.

“I hit this f****** chasm last night at about 30 km/h in my old and treasured weekend cruiser and was livid,” a comment read.

“The jolt I got really left me surprised I didn’t have two buckled rims and I could still steer straight.”

Others claimed to have “nearly crashed” at the site or watched cars “jump up about 30 to 40 cm off the bitumen” upon hitting it.

In a statement, the ACT Government said it is “aware of the issue” and Roads ACT crews have been “liaising with the contractor and visiting the site daily” ever since “to ensure it is rectified satisfactorily”.

On Tuesday (27 August), the government organised “a separate contractor to undertake asphalting work on the site”, with the work and any other required repairs done “at the contractor’s expense”.

Traffic hazard signage has also been installed, and a reduced speed limit of 40 km/h is in place for the area.

The community is encouraged to report the location of any other road defects through the government’s Fix My Street portal.