After more than a week of bumpy rides and frustrated commutes, Fugalei Road's potholes have finally received a temporary fix—but residents and business owners are left wondering if this patchwork solution will endure amid ongoing maintenance struggles.

“They came this morning and covered up the holes, but you can easily tell that the job was just a cover-up for now,” said a staff member of the White House Hotel. 

“They can cover it up all they want, but the problem lies underneath the road.” 

Commuters have also felt the impact of the pothole crisis, as one bus rider reported that several buses had altered their routes due to the road conditions. 

“Not only has this bus been taking the route through Taufusi, but most of the other buses too,” he said. 

Historically, the pothole issue on Fugalei Road has not been a new development. A local business owner remarked on the continuous struggle to repair the road's drainage system, suggesting that past efforts have been merely temporary fixes. 

“No one’s been able to come up with a proper solution,” they explained. 

Reflecting on the many failed projects aimed at resolving the drainage issues, they said, “If you go back to the history of this road, there were a lot of projects to try and fix the drainage. 

"None have worked so far. I think it needs to look at a more comprehensive approach to fix the drainage up here, rather than a little bit here, a little bit there.” 

There is hope that dry weather prevails so a permanent solution to a recurring problem can be found.