The city will be conducting another pothole repair blitz this weekend amid a fluctuation in temperatures that is likely to wreak havoc on the roads.
The temperature is expected to reach a high of 7 C on Friday but it will drop to – 4 C overnight before before climbing back up to 3 C on Saturday. That sort of freeze and cycle creates prime conditions for the development of potholes.
The city says that more than 50 crews will be working up to 12 hour shifts filling potholes on Saturday as part of a blitz that will coincide with the fluctuation in temperatures. They say that during a similar blitz on Feb. 23, crews were able to fill 5,826 potholes.
On any given day, about 25 crews are out filling potholes.
“Motorists are advised to leave extra time and expect minor delays,” a news release issued by the city on Friday morning states. “The public is asked to be safe by respecting work zones and giving crews space while they work.
So far this year crews have filled 33,000 potholes but that number is expected to rise significantly in the coming weeks.
The city says that it has set aside $4 million to $5 million to repair potholes in 2019 as part of its $182 million road maintenance budget.
They say that each pothole costs about $25 to repair.
Additional weekend pothole repair blitzes are likely to continue through April, according to the city.
