Cold snowy winter results in an increase in Sudbury potholes, city says

If you find yourself weaving around on Sudbury streets trying to avoid potholes, you're not alone.

It's pothole season and the harsh winter weather is to blame for the state of the asphalt.

The general manager of growth and infrastructure with the city, Tony Cecutti, says the significant snowfall and cold temperatures made this year an especially bad one for potholes on city streets.

"Last year we had more frequent freeze thaws cause it stayed pretty cold January and February of this year, but we also have a lot more moisture on the ground," he said.

"[There are] a lot more snow banks. The freeze thaws we do get into have been a lot more severe in terms of temperature swings."

When it comes to repairing the streets, Cecutti says potholes are fixed based on priority. That means streets with more traffic and higher speeds get done first.

"The higher the classification of the road then the more significant the priority is to address the potholes that might form," he said.

"So really, it's a traffic safety issue and higher volume and speeds of traffic generate a quicker response times from our crews."

Cecutti adds crews are also working to fix snow and ice ruts that have formed on many streets.

"We have a number of graders that are out actually for the past few weeks," he said.

"Our priority has been on the major roads. They're all pretty much dried up now so our focus is now on the secondary roads."

Cecutti says residents can report potholes through 311, adding it usually takes between four days and a few weeks for a pothole to get fixed.

If you damage your vehicle by hitting a pothole, Cecutti says there is a process to submit a claim.

"People need to keep in mind that the test is what's reasonable under the circumstances [as] we follow the provincially mandated minimum maintenance standards," he said.

"As long as we're adhering to those time frames and required maintenance then that's what's reasonable under the circumstances. Certainly at this of year potholes can appear. The expectation is that we get around to them in reasonable period of time."

Next week, Sudbury city councillor Michael Vagnini is holding a town hall meeting in Lively to discuss potholes. He's planning on bringing forward a motion in April focusing on compensation from damage or injuries connected to potholes.