Watch the video above: Rare, but possible to get city to pay for pothole damage
SASKATOON- More than 270 potholes have been repaired by civic crews so far and Saskatoon isn’t even into the city’s “Spring Pothole Blitz.”
Officials say over 460 large potholes have been reported by residents since March 17.
“What’s being reported right now is just representing about 10 per cent of what is out in the streets in terms of potholes because our crews are finding potholes and repairing those as well,” said Pat Hyde, director of public works for the City of Saskatoon.
At this point, crews are repairing the most severe potholes in the driving lanes of priority one and two streets. The city says mother nature along with aggressive snow clearing has helped them get a head start this season.
“The less standing water you have on the streets, the less chance of potholes forming,” said Hyde.
City officials say the hot mix material won’t be ready until mid-April but they’ll try to patch as many and the most critical potholes within a 24 to 48 hour window of them being reported with a semi-permanent material. This material can be used in temperatures above minus 10 degrees with a wind chill.
“It’s a asphaltic matter, it does hold up, it’s not as ideal as the hot mix matter that we use throughout the course of the year when the asphalt plants are running but it does have a very durable presence but not as quite long as a permanent patch would do,” said Hyde.
If you do hit a pothole that causes vehicle damage, insurance providers say you can try to get the city to pay for it.
“If the city decides that yes they are at fault then they will pay SGI and they will also pay back the person’s deductible,” said Bill Schwandt, of Hoffman Kool Insurance.
Once a claim is received, the city will confirm they received it and investigate the matter. A process that can take six to eight weeks.
“It’s kinda tough if you have the city policing themselves and deciding themselves if they’re at fault but I would like to think they’re doing it correctly,” said Schwandt.
If the city had a reasonable amount of time to warn drivers of the pothole with a sign or fix it and enough motorists have reported the pothole, motorists may have a case.
“They’re not a bank but insurance programs are not social programs either,” said Schwandt.
Insurance providers warn although claims are filed against the city on a regular basis, the actual amount of payouts tend to be low.
Comments