Monster pothole on SA road a deathtrap, motorcyclist says

The South Australian government has admitted that the quality of a stretch of road near Mannum is "not acceptable" despite repeated attempts by its contractors to patch it.

The result of weekend works on Ridley Road, between Mannum and Cambrai, sparked concern among locals, including Mannum resident Paul Smith, who has been documenting the condition of the road on social media.

The motorcyclist said was "outraged" by the state of the road, particularly by a large pothole that was repaired at least four times over the past week.

"What I saw was beyond belief," Mr Smith said.

"If someone hits it on a bike, they're going to die.

"I don't think the politicians and the pencil pushers understand that we don't get a second chance on a motorbike."

Mr Smith said the pothole was so large that could pose a hazard to other smaller vehicles.

Will the planned repairs be enough?

In a statement, a spokesperson for SA's Department of Infrastructure and Transport said the potholes were caused by heavy rain over winter.

It said that contractors it engaged earlier this year had conducted temporary patching along Ridley Road but more permanent work had been scheduled for next month.

"We acknowledge that this road has deteriorated to a point that is not acceptable to the Department or the community," the statement said.

Mid Murray Council chief executive officer Andrew Johnson said the council had received multiple community complaints about Ridley Road.

He said the council was in discussions with the state government about the quality of local roads and had questions about their future as conversations about a Greater Adelaide Freight Bypass continue.

"The proposal to get the freight off of the freeway is to send it through that road," Dr Johnson said.

"Unfortunately it's just not up to it in its current condition, and that's beyond the potholes — it needs to be widened, it needs to be made safer, it needs to be strengthened."

Safety above rules

Safety concerns about South Australian roads are not new.

Motorists in the Yorke Peninsula and South East have been calling for an urgent fix to a multi-billion dollar maintenance backlog since 2023.

Earlier this year, the ABC also reported several sections of major highways in the state, including parts of the Sturt Highway, were given the lowest possible safety rating by the Australian Road Assessment Program.

Mr Smith said Ridley Road was one of many in his region that need more than a "bandaid" fix.

"I can't even go down the freeway in the left-hand lane anymore on the motorbike. The ruts are too bad," he said.

"I've gotten to the stage now where I don't care about our road rules. I will ride on the part of the road that's safe.

"If that means me riding on the wrong side of the road, I'm still going to do it. That's safer than taking our lives in our hands with these potholes."