Skip to main content

Holes for sale

The local authorities in a village in the east of Germany have started selling potholes in an attempt to repair the community's crumbling roads. The village has insufficient cash available to repairs its roads and is using this novel approach to tackle the problem. Locals are being invited to help pay for the necessary maintenance work and are encouraged to feel that they own each repaired pothole. Several newspapers and TV firms have bought potholes in a move designed to gain advertising.
February 21, 2012 Read time: 1 min
The local authorities in a village in the east of Germany have started selling potholes in an attempt to repair the community's crumbling roads. The village has insufficient cash available to repairs its roads and is using this novel approach to tackle the problem. Locals are being invited to help pay for the necessary maintenance work and are encouraged to feel that they own each repaired pothole. Several newspapers and TV firms have bought potholes in a move designed to gain advertising.

Related Content

  • Improving safety for cyclists
    November 29, 2013
    New systems in development for protecting vulnerable road users - Mike Woof writes In many European countries the number of people using bicycles for commuting are increasing. This is being actively encouraged by city authorities as it offers an effective way to reduce traffic congestion, lower exhaust emissions and also improve public health. The Netherlands and Denmark have long had high percentages of commuters opting to use bicycles and other European countries are looking to capitalise on the experienc
  • ASECAP: maintenance mindshift turns spending into investment
    August 4, 2017
    With an estimated value of €8 trillion, the road infrastructure is probably the European Union’s largest single asset. It accounts for 83% of passenger journeys and more than 70% of freight movement. Despite this importance, global investment in roads - especially maintenance - has fallen, said Christophe Nicodeme, European Road Federation secretary general. There are grave consequences, noted Nicodeme in his opening keynote address to the recent Study and Information Days gathering, an annual event for mem
  • Looking around the world with bitumen technology
    March 4, 2015
    Russia needs polymer-modified bitumen; the UK is embracing US-style pavement preservation technology and gearing up to import more bitumen; and Italy prepares to export innovative modifying technology; plus a look at the market in Asia Pacific and the Middle East – Kristina Smith reports. The Total Group has announced two recent deals which underline the changing bitumen market around the world. In Moscow, it is constructing a new type of polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) plant in joint venture with Gazprom Ne
  • Bridge inspection: destructive versus non-destructive methods
    January 6, 2015
    Tens of thousands of bridges in the United States are in desperate need of repair. But where to begin analysing their deteriorating state? Roger Roberts* investigates tips and techniques for ensuring bridge safety The average age of America’s more than 600,000 crumbling bridges is 42 years – many are 60 to 80 years old. The situation is dire, with many described as functionally obsolete, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ latest edition of its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.