Calgary,
06
April
2021
|
10:21
America/Denver

Crews busy filling potholes across the city

Mayor Naheed Nenshi held a virtual chat to thank Calgary road crews who are working across the city, filling potholes. Crews have been out repairing potholes since the weather began to warm.

“It’s that time of the year again where I get to speak to you about potholes. Every spring, we get potholes thanks to the freeze-thaw cycle conditions that can cause additional stress on our roadways,” said Mayor Nenshi, adding potholes are a problem in all winter cities across Canada. “We encourage citizens to stay vigilant on the roadway while our crews work to fill potholes that form during this time of year. I am happy to say our crews are making great progress in getting them filled.”

Potholes form when snow melts into cracks in the asphalt and then freezes, expanding the space beneath these cracks. When weather warms and cars begin driving over these pockets, potholes form. This past winter, Calgary experienced more days with snow on the ground, meaning you may start to see potholes forming on some roadways.

“While the cold weather keeps our crews focused on snow and ice, warm weather allows them to shift their focus onto potholes as we transition into our warm weather operations,” said Mayor Nenshi, adding crews have the capacity to fill about 700 potholes a week. “As always, we thank these crews for their continued efforts, especially with everything happening in the world.”

Crews address potholes on a priority basis with major roads being completed first. To identify pavement in need of repair, The City inspects major roads twice a month and collector roads once a month. In residential areas, however, The City relies on citizens to report concerns.

The City encourages residents and motorists to help ensure that potholes are identified and repaired by reporting them by calling 311 or using the road repair form on the 311-online system by visiting Calgary.ca/potholes.

Being responsive to neighborhood complaints, including filling potholes, is critical to improving residents’ quality of life, said Mayor Nenshi. “We appreciate the patience and understanding from Calgarians as our crews continue to work hard to improve the roads for them.”

The City has budgeted $6.2 million this year for minor asphalt repairs which includes potholes.

Roads Maintenance Manager Chris Hewitt reminds drivers to slow down and watch out for crews working to repair potholes on city streets. “When driving, remember to always look ahead. If you can spot a pothole in advance, then you have time to steer clear of it safely, without leaving your lane, or by safely changing lanes,” he added.

Some additional driving safety tips to remember during pothole season include:

• Don’t tailgate: Leaving plenty of space between your vehicle and the one in front of you increases your odds of identifying a pothole with enough distance to avoid it.

• Avoid puddles: Be cautious when driving through water as there may be potholes hiding in it.

• Slow down: If you can’t safely avoid a pothole, slow down to help mitigate damage.

• Check tire pressure: Ensure your tires are inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended pressure. Under- or over-inflated tires can make pothole damage worse.

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