$4M requested to shore up Toronto pot hole repair costs

TORONTO – A motion is being presented at Toronto city council to request for an additional $4 million to shore up skyrocketing pot hole repair costs.

“We’re spending more money than ever before but it may not be enough,” Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee Denzil Minnan-Wong told reporters Wednesday.

“We’ve been sending out crews when we can. 35 to 40 crews on 11 hour shifts and filling the potholes as much as possible.”

The city’s Transportation Services department says 130,000 potholes have been repaired to date this year, including 3070 filled on April 1.

“Given the volume of potholes and the road situation that exists currently, it’s been a challenge,” Minnan-Wong said.

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The motion will ask for the $4 million to be pulled from the 2014 road repair and maintenance reserve fund.

A staff briefing note indicates the city has spent about $60 million on “winter activities” with the annual budget capped at $85 million.

Crews used between 150,000 to 160,000 tonnes of salt this winter compared to the annual average of 125,000.

This is a result of 130 centimetres of snowfall accumulation recorded at Pearson International Airport, which is the City of Toronto average.

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Claims for pot hole damage have also risen sharply in 2014.

Minnan-Wong suggests it is time for city officials to seriously consider analyzing why roads are breaking up so easily and if the asphalt being laid down may be the problem.

“Infrastructure needs to be fixed, the current arrangement is not acceptable to the taxpayers, they deserve service and they deserve good roads.”