CALGARY – Warming temperatures have most Calgarians expressing a unanimous sigh of relief — but our vehicles may not be as pleased.
Freezing and thawing throughout the winter months has left many Calgary roads looking like swiss cheese – pothole season is upon us.
Others have become “˜spine-crunchingly’ bumpy from frost heaving.
According to city transportation spokeswoman Laurel Johnston, Calgary’s soil is susceptible to frost due to its high clay content. Add water and then freezing temperatures and the ground will begin to push up on the roadway above causing heaving and buckling.
However, as bad as it might seem the city says this year is no worse than any other.
Crews are out filling problem potholes but it may take them a while as they have a long list to get through.
“Our ability to do the work depends on what Mother Nature throws at us. In this case, winter has been unseasonably long,” says Sean Somers, City Roads.
“When it’s wet or raining and there’s lots of moisture on the roads that makes it harder for us to do our job because the pothole needs to be clean and dry when we’re doing the repairs”
Calgarians who notice a problem spot that needs attention are asked to call 311 to report it.
Pothole complaints are prioritized based on how busy the roadway is.
With files from the Calgary Herald
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