Some Greenfield Park residents say they’ve had enough of all the potholes.
“They’re just getting worse and worse every year,” says resident Sebastien Varrette, shaking his head.
He and others claim there are dozens on several streets in the borough and people who’ve lived there for decades have never seen road conditions this bad.
“Some are six inches deep,” says borough president Robert Myles. “They’re bad!”
Borough officials put the blame squarely on the City of Longueuil for what they see is a lack of maintenance, and residents are now calling the city to get answers.
“There’s serious problems here in Greenfield Park,” says Myles, adding that he’s certain the problem is just as bad in other Longueuil boroughs.
He argues it’s now become dangerous.
“These are major things,” he tells Global News. “There are people on bicycles going by and everything else, that could hurt themselves seriously.
“I got cars, STL bus drivers — boom boom, boom boom. You know, it’s pretty serious.”
Residents insist it’s especially hazardous to cyclists when potholes are painted over.
“Sometimes you can’t see them early enough and then you hit them,” Varrette explains. “I’ve fallen once or twice on big potholes.”
In mid-July, there was a collision at the corner of Allen and Victoria that Myles claims was the result of a pothole.
“A lady was turning to deviate a pothole and she almost hit a car, and by deviating that car she hit another car,” he says.
He and other borough officials complain that nothing is being done despite numerous requests, and in some cases, potholes remain untouched for as long as three months. It’s clear to them Longueuil is not prioritizing the problem.
“In the last council meeting in Longueuil, the mayor’s administration was boasting about a $16-million surplus from the 2018 budget,” Greenfield Park city councillor Wade Wilson claims. “And we can’t get a simple pothole filled.
Myles agrees.
“I think they should hire more blue collars,” he said.
Residents insist the streets need to be repaired quickly before someone gets hurt.
A spokesperson for Longueuil tells Global News the mayor is not available to comment.