The City of Toronto is planning an early morning start for a pothole repair blitz tomorrow. Staff will work on expressways from 1 to 8 a.m. to take advantage of lower traffic volumes during that period. Pothole repairs on all other roads will start at 4 a.m. and finish by 4 p.m.
During this blitz, about 30 crews will be working to fill potholes across the city. When travelling in or through Toronto on Saturday, members of the public are advised to leave extra time and expect minor delays. Motorists are also asked to respect work zones and give crews space.
Pothole blitz crews are made up of the same City staff who handle important work such as road maintenance, snow clearing, street sweeping and other maintenance work.
More than 183,000 potholes on Toronto streets have already been repaired in 2019. During five single-day potholes blitzes held earlier this year, crews repaired approximately 49,544 potholes.
A few recent examples of how the City manages road surfaces include:
• the recent fall maintenance closure of the Gardiner Expressway that included about 2,300 metres of grinding and paving
• proactive daily repair and maintenance of potholes by patrolling crews as well as response to 311 service requests from the public
• pothole blitzes as required
• investment in new asphalt equipment to repair potholes, such as the introduction of 18 new asphalt hotboxes earlier this year
• annual local and major road resurfacing projects as part of the City’s road maintenance and resurfacing program, and
• ongoing review of the City’s approach to potholes and allocated resources (including maintenance and claims).
Potholes are created when water penetrates the top layer of asphalt through cracks in the road. When the moisture freezes and expands, sections of the pavement are forced up. The weight of vehicles going over that section of the road breaks the pavement and the broken asphalt is forced out.
The City has a comprehensive road maintenance program and has budgeted about $182 million in 2019 for road repairs, rehabilitation and maintenance work, including between $4 million and $5 million to fix potholes. Each pothole costs about $25 to repair. Since 2015, the City has repaired an average of more than 200,000 potholes annually.
Road users and business owners can help by reporting potholes when they see them, at http://www.toronto.ca/potholes. The public can also report potholes by calling 311, emailing 311@toronto.ca or using the 311 app available online.
Potholes can usually be repaired within four days. When there are large numbers of potholes to be repaired, they are triaged based on size, and repairs are prioritized on major roads first.
Quotes:
“Repairing potholes is one way we get our streets and expressways ready for winter. Crews will be out very early in the morning on Saturday, working hard to improve our roadways and help people who bike, take transit and drive stay safe. If you come across one of our hard-working crews, especially during daylight hours, please be patient and give them room to get the job done.”
– Mayor John Tory
“The weather is still mild, so this is the best opportunity to get ahead of winter and repair as many potholes on Toronto streets as possible. Doing this work proactively, when traffic volumes are lower in the early morning, helps to reduce property damage and eliminate injuries quickly and efficiently.”
– Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 6 York Centre), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
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