Potholes Reappear on MT Haryono Road Despite Recent Repairs, Patching Quality Questioned
JAKARTA — Potholes on MT Haryono Road in Pancoran, South Jakarta have reappeared despite having been recently patched. The road damage previously caused a single-vehicle accident during heavy rain in the early hours of Sunday (8 March 2026).
Observations at the location on Monday (9 March 2026) afternoon revealed multiple potholes visible on the road surface again. The patching material, consisting of cold mix asphalt, was scattered around the pothole sites.
Amin (39), a street coffee vendor working near the location, said the potholes had only been repaired on Sunday afternoon.
“It’s already been patched, then the holes appear again. Yesterday it was also just patched. It’s already collapsed again. It was just patched yesterday afternoon,” Amin said when met at the location on Monday.
He assessed that the patching material used was not strong enough to withstand vehicle loads, particularly in the fast lane on the right side of the road which is travelled daily by heavy vehicles.
The potholes were covered using cold mix asphalt, which he said is easily eroded by rain and vehicle pressure.
“But here they only patch it with material like what’s in sacks, not hot mix asphalt. It’s only patched when rain falls immediately it crumbles. That kind is not strong. Once a truck runs over it like this it breaks again. It’s the same thing,” he said.
Similar complaints were also made by a motorcyclist, Dedi (40). He said potholes on MT Haryono Road have actually appeared for about a year.
According to Dedi, the use of cold mix material is less effective for closing potholes on roads with heavy traffic like in that area.
Besides road conditions, visibility is also a problem for road users. During the day, potholes are often not visible when riders are behind other vehicles. Meanwhile, at night, poor lighting makes potholes even harder to see.
Responding to the complaints, Rifki Rismal, Head of the South Jakarta Bina Marga Sub-office, explained that the use of cold mix material is temporary.
According to Rifki, permanent repairs using hot mix asphalt cannot yet be carried out because weather conditions remain unstable.
“So to secure the potholes which we fear could cause accidents to road users, we cover them with cold mix first,” Rifki explained to Kompas.com.
Additionally, Bina Marga officers continue to traverse various road sections to identify pothole sites requiring short-term and long-term treatment.
“Because these are new potholes that occur due to weather factors, our team continues to work finding and covering potholes,” said Rifki.