WINNIPEG — A Winnipeg mechanic said every week he’s shipping loads of broken springs to the scrap yard from trucks who have hit potholes in the city.
When it comes to drivers breaking parts of their vehicles on potholes, Mike Zajaros with North End Spring said 2017 has been one of the busiest years he’s ever seen.
“Our phones are ringing off the hook. I’m backed up at least four days,” Zajaros said.
Compared to last year at this time, Zajaros said customers with pothole problems are up 30 per cent. His has been busy most of the winter, he added.
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“It happened really early this year. This is only the beginning.”
The inconsistent weather has been contributing to the pothole problem and crews are out now patching, according to the city’s public works communications officer, Ken Allen said.
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“With the freeze thaw that’s been happening it’s understandable to see the potholes pop up,” Allen said
The city is spending more than $200 million on infrastructure improvements between 2016 and 2017. Last year the city saw a 1.3 per cent improvement when it comes to roads listed as ‘poor’.
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“It’s a slow process, but we’re making a dent,” Allen said.
Right now city crews are working on pothole patching as well as regular winter maintenance. Allen said once the weather warms up, more crews can be dedicated to patching.
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