Marine Drive 'worse than before repairs'

[caption id="attachment_34209" align="alignright" width="405"] FIXING WHAT'S NOT BROKEN: The retarred Marine Drive is now bumpy and uneven. Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN[/caption]

INSTEAD of smiles on faces as the reconstruction of the Port Elizabeth beachfront's main arterial road comes to an end, residents are upset at what they claim is shoddy workmanship on unnecessary repairs.

The 5km-stretch of roadworks along Marine Drive and Beach Road between Bournemouth Road and Walmer Boulevard started late in April and is expected to be completed by the end of the month.

But Summerstrand residents like Andre Brink said the road was better before they did the reconstruction.

Brink, an engineer at Algoa Bus Company, said in trying to rectify the old minor problems, the municipality had created new problems regarding manhole covers, hand-painted markings and bumpy surfaces.

"We had decent, smooth roads that were in need of some minor repairs which could have been done on the spot. - Tremaine van Aardt