Ottawa streets riddled with more potholes than usual
City crews have fixed about 20,000 potholes so far this winter
More potholes than usual have riddled Ottawa's streets this winter as the temperature continues to hover above and below the freezing point, according to the city's general manager of public works.
Kevin Wylie says there have been 42 freeze-thaw cycles so far this winter compared to the average of 35.
Each of these cycles causes hundreds of potholes to open up throughout the colder months. When the weather warms up, water seeps into cracks in roads, which then freezes when the temperature drops, making asphalt break.
Since Jan. 1, 18 city crews have fixed about 20,000 potholes — a 25 per cent increase over the average number of potholes fixed by this point each year.
"Starting with the warm weather coming on the weekend, we'll be hitting the potholes full force," Wylie said.
He added with little snow in the near future, the forecast for road repairs looks promising.