All-in-one pothole patching machine could hit Sudbury roads soon, says councillor

Greater Sudbury's new automated pothole patching machine could hit the city's roads in as little as two weeks, according to a city councillor.

Late last year the city purchased a $550,000 Python 5000 pothole patching machine that could be on arterial roads as soon as the temperature goes above -10 C.

"We've been looking over the years at methods of improving how we're dealing with potholes," said Ward 5 Coun. Robert Kirwan, who is a member of the city's operations committee.

"The Python 5000 seems to have been getting pretty rave reviews from other municipalities that are using it."

In northern Ontario, those other municipalities include the cities of Timmins and Thunder Bay.

According to the manufacturer, Regina-based SuperiorRoads Solutions, the Python 5000 can repair an average-sized pothole in under two minutes with a single operator. 

Kirwan said the city will deploy the machine to arterial roads, where the need for pothole repair is the greatest.

In the 2022 budget the city said it repairs 80,000 potholes per year on average. The budget also said 85 per cent of pothole claims are resolved within 60 days.

When the city first announced it would purchase the machine, it had earmarked $400,000 in the 2021 budget to buy it.

But despite the higher purchase cost, Kirwan said he expects the investment to be well worth it.

"People have got to get past the ticket price," he said. "I know one transit bus costs more than this."

He added he would support purchasing a second machine if this one proves to be as efficient as promised. 

Tony Cecutti, the city's general manager of growth and infrastructure, previously told CBC News he expects the machine to lead to savings on labour.

"Any savings in labour — and we are expecting some savings in labour — will be redeployed to other road maintenance activities," he said.