They’re an annual chore for Canadian municipalities. Winter’s freeze-thaw cycle leaves roads marred by potholes that need filling.
Melted snow and ice fills cracks in the road’s surface. When that water freezes, it expands, breaking down the asphalt and becoming a pothole as vehicles drive over the damaged area.
“This winter was very challenging with all the snow and ice on the roads, so that’s why we see so many potholes right now,” said Julian Ruck, the City of Lethbridge’s transportation operations manager.
The city says it conducts temporary winter maintenance on potholes if weather allows. The process ramps up when the city can turn to hot asphalt, which it received earlier this month and crews are now attacking the pothole problem.
The affected area is cleared of loose debris and excess moisture, before the hole is coated with tackoil.
“The oil acts like a glue to connect the old asphalt with the new asphalt, to avoid future water infiltration and a new pothole forming,” Ruck said.
Next, crews rake new asphalt in place, before the patching roller finishes the job.
Potholes eat up a large portion of the city’s annual road maintenance budget.
According to Ruck, that budget is about $2.3 million. She says an average of around $500,000 of that budget has been spent addressing potholes in recent years.
“It’s preventative maintenance,” Ruck said.
“If we can fix these issues right away it will extend the life of the road.”
If costs runs over that amount, Ruck says potholes take priority over other road maintenance.
“If we need to spend more, we spend more,” Ruck said.
Repairs will continue as long as Mother Nature permits.
Host asphalt requires above-freezing temperatures and dry surfaces, so weather can still impact crews if they can’t remove enough water.
“If it rains more, we just have to wait a day or two until the moisture’s gone,” Ruck said.
But drivers can expect to see road work at all hours in the months ahead
The city is asking residents to report potholes to 311 and to drive slowly and obey signage when driving around road repair crews.