Local roads have gotten a lot bumpier in recent weeks as rapid freeze-thaw cycles have once again cracked holes in city streets.
City crews had initially hoped this would be a good year for potholes year due to the mild winter, but the back-and-forth temperature swings of February plus recent freezing rains have made this season pretty average, said public works director Glenn Tompolski.
“We’ve got a crew going out patching potholes on a daily basis,” Tompolski said.
Potholes form whenever moisture freezes and thaws in or under the road surface, Tompolski says, creating gaps and pushing open cracks. That causes the pavement to sag in spots and eventually creates a hole.
Crews actually fix potholes year-round but kick it into high gear come springtime, Tompolski said. A spray truck lets them shoot a mix of oil and rock onto any hole for a quick patch-job. They fix major roads like St. Albert Trail first and then move onto residential streets, covering about 20 per cent of all neighbourhoods in a given year.
Your worst enemy when it comes to potholes is speed so drivers should slow down if they want to stay safe, said Don Szarko of the Alberta Motor Association.
“You really do need to pay attention to the road surface,” he said.
If a road looks rough, slow down to save your axles. Many holes may be filled with water, making their depth hard to judge, he said.
The worst thing you can do is swerve to avoid a pothole, he added, as this often takes you into oncoming traffic. It’s far better to take a hole slow than it is to risk causing a collision, he said.
Residents can flag a pothole for repair by visiting http://www.stalbert.ca/report-a-pothole or by calling 780-418-6066.
