Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — This Samoa News photo taken around 4p.m. last Friday, shows a corner section of Ottoville Road covered with gravel.

Earlier in the day, and over the past two weeks — as a result of heavy rainfall — gravel at the site had washed away, leaving two huge potholes in this same corner.

The temporary fix was carried out by Paramount Builders, Inc., which is the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) contractor that relocated overhead power lines to underground conduits along the Ottoville Road.

The work had been ongoing since late November 2018 and Paramount Builders had covered — with gravel — the side of the road that was dug up until they return to carry out the road restoration phase.

However, that part of the project has been halted due to wet weather conditions over the past three weeks. But the rain had washed away the gravel.

Steel plates to cover an area if the road that was cut (in front of the Susana Uesele Methodist Church) were put in place but heavy traffic in the area, as well as a downpour of rain, moved the plates, causing a traffic hazard — with part of the steel plates being exposed.

All these issues prompted motorists — traveling this road — as well as area residents to complain to Tualauta Rep. Larry S. Sanitoa, who early last week asked Paramount Builders for a temporary fix and assistance in making the road a bit safer for driving.

According to Sanitoa, he asked Paramount Builders to have its crew monitor and repair any damaged parts of the road, until the company is able to repave the road with asphalt.

Paramount Builders informed Sanitoa last Friday morning that, “we are planning to start the road restoration” by the end of this week, “if weather permits”.

When Samoa News passed through Ottoville Road after 4p.m. last Friday, all the areas of concern were temporarily fixed, using gravel.

With Paramount Builders already doing work in the Ottoville area, Sanitoa — again — requested possible assistance with road problems around Fatuoaiga and the Hope House facility, where there are several large potholes.