The weather may feel like it’s still playing catchup this spring, but Kitchener’s pothole season is right on schedule. City crews said they’re seeing more craters pop up this year than before, and staff are trying to keep up. “We’ve more than doubled our material and staff resources to accommodate the extra potholes that have happened this year,” said Shain Spooner, the city’s operations supervisor for road maintenance. So far, the city has logged more than 1,300 pothole service requests as of April 24, nearly 200 more than this time last year. However, crews have filled thousands using hot mix asphalt and tackle up to 300 craters every day. Spooner credited the warmer and dryer weather for the work crews have been able to complete. “We’ve accomplished more in the last couple of weeks than we have all of March and April,” Spooner said. After a snowy winter, Waterloo Region was walloped with weeks of heavy rain. The wet weather led to moisture build-up beneath the road surface. “Potholes are developed when the moisture gets into the asphalt and then cars drive over and over and over again, creating a void and deterioration into the asphalt,” said Spooner. Spooner pointed out that different materials and process are used depending on the temperature. “Some materials are better for snow, some materials are better for rain,” he said. “With hot mix, it’s better to use it in conditions where it’s warm — the asphalt is going to adhere, and it does become a better long-term fix for the pothole.” The devilish divots are dealt with on a rolling basis, with priority given to busy roads. “The busier the street, the higher the volume of traffic is more where we send the crews first, moving into secondary roads, bus routes, and then residential areas.” People who encounter problematic potholes outside their homes or on their daily commutes are urged to report them through the City of Kitchener’s website.
