City of Toronto to launch pothole blitz this weekend

The City of Toronto will launch a pothole repair blitz this Saturday to keep the City’s expressways, major roads and neighbourhood streets in a state of good repair.  

Approximately 133 staff forming 36 crews will work a 12-hour shift from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. to resolve as many 311 Service Requests for potholes and road damage as possible. 

Crews will focus particular attention on the following areas: 

• King Street Transit Priority Corridor 
• Scarborough North 
• Etobicoke North 
• Northwest area of North York 

Crews will also proactively repair any other potholes found during the city-wide blitz. 

Residents driving or cycling are advised to expect minor delays around pothole crews. The public is asked to be safe by respecting work zones and giving crews space while they make repairs. 

Did you know? 

• Since January 1, crews have repaired nearly 100,000 potholes which is higher than the same four month period over the last four years. 
• Potholes occur when water penetrates the top layer of asphalt through cracks in the road. After the moisture freezes and expands, sections of the pavement are forced up. The weight of vehicles going over this section breaks the pavement and the asphalt is forced out. 
• Potholes are normally investigated within specified service level timelines for each road classification. For instance, potholes that pose a safety hazard on an expressway are addressed within 24 hours while potholes on an arterial road are investigated within four days. When there are large numbers of potholes to be repaired, they are triaged based on size and repairs are prioritized according to the City’s approved service levels. 

Members of the public can report potholes to 311 via the 311 Toronto mobile app, online at www.toronto.ca/311 or by calling 311.  

The City has a comprehensive pothole repair program with a Toronto City Council approved budget of $5 million for 2024.  

Pothole repair blitz crews comprise the same City staff who manage road maintenance, snow clearing, street sweeping and other maintenance and roadway safety work. City crews perform proactive daily patrols to repair potholes outside of the concentrated repair blitzes across Toronto. 

More about how the City manages potholes, as well as updated data on pothole repairs, is on the City’s Potholes webpage. 

Media Opportunity 

Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Jamaal Myers (Scarborough North) will visit a pothole repair site (photo opportunity only). 

Date: Saturday, April 20
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: 70 Longsword Drive, Scarborough  

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