Early pothole season hits northeastern Ontario cities amid mild winter conditions

Pothole season has started in many cities across northeastern Ontario, making it tricky for drivers to navigate the roads smoothly and safely. 

These holes in the roads are seen more frequently at the end of winter to early spring. They're formed from the freezing and thawing of water that gets into cracks in the pavement, causing roads to become weak and then collapse.

Around the Greater Sudbury area, repair crews are actively working to fill potholes. 

Dan Thibeault, who's with the city's infrastructure services department, said the mild winter has helped crews stay on top of road repairs, resulting in fewer potholes reported this year.

"Because of a lack of snow, our crews have been out there more frequently," he said, adding he hopes the milder weather will continue. 

Thibeault said using a pothole patching machine, which only requires one crew member to operate, has made repairs efficient and allowed crews to cover more ground.  

The city purchased a $550,000 Python 5000 pothole-patching machine in 2021 that could be on arterial roads as soon as the temperature goes above –10 C.

He advises residents to maintain proper tire pressure and reduce speed when approaching potholes. 

"The other thing is exercise caution when you are encountering these pothole patching crews out there maintaining the potholes," he emphasized. 

Residents can report potholes to the city through its website or by calling 311.

Early start to the pothole-season for North Bay 

North Bay's roads supervisor, Jason Leblond, said their pothole season started two to three weeks earlier than usual and crews are working to stay on top of repairs. 

"Of course, we don't know what's going to happen. Mother Nature isn't done with us yet, I don't think," he acknowledged. 

Leblond pointed out various factors contributing to potholes appearing earlier this year, including the fluctuating temperatures and frost without snow insulation in certain areas.

Patching crews are active round the clock, but Leblond stressed the importance of community involvement in spotting and reporting potholes. 

"It helps us have more eyes," he said. "The public is helping us, giving us locations in case somehow we've missed them." 

He reminded drivers that according to minimum maintenance standards, a pothole is filled when it is five inches deep. 

"We, of course, want the routes to be as smooth as possible for vehicles. But there are certain roads where the top layer of asphalt is coming off."

That is a "delamination" and is considered less damaging to vehicles than a pothole. Leblond said filling in potholes is their priority.

Leblond said that unlike Sudbury, North Bay does not have the self-propelled pothole patching machine. 

Instead, they use a machine called the 'Bagella', which is a drum that recycles old pieces of asphalt to make new base layers.

Leblond said North Bay residents can call the city's Public Works yard to report a pothole or ask to make a claim if their vehicle has suffered damage.