Toronto springs into third pothole repair blitz starting tonight

Spring is officially here and City of Toronto crews are getting ready for the third pothole repair blitz of the year starting overnight tonight. More weekend repair blitzes are expected through April.

To take advantage of lower traffic volumes, crews will work on the Don Valley Parkway and Gardiner Expressway overnight starting at 11 p.m. today. Potholes on other roads will be repaired during the day, starting early Saturday morning. 

The city experienced several freeze-thaw cycles this winter which has resulted in more potholes. City crews, who also handled snow removal and clearing, have already repaired more than 47,000 potholes in 2019. During two single-day potholes blitzes, on February 23 and on March 16, crews repaired 18,738 potholes. 

On a typical day, 25 crews are out repairing potholes. During this blitz, there will be about 90 crews working overnight and daytime shifts to fill potholes across the city. When traveling through the city this weekend, 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. 

A few recent examples of how the City manages road surfaces include:
• re-decking part of the elevated portion of the Gardiner Expressway in the fall of 2018. It was the first time the City had closed the Gardiner for an entire weekend since 2016. A video is available at https://youtu.be/sNBh4OREc8Q 
• 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 (e.g. 18 new asphalt ‘hotboxes’ were purchased for this season)
• on-going reviews of the materials used to fill potholes
• annual local and major road resurfacing projects as part of the City’s road maintenance and resurfacing program
• on-going 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 this section of road breaks the pavement and the asphalt is forced out. 

The City has a comprehensive road maintenance program and has budgeted approximately $182 million in 2019 for road repairs, rehabilitation and maintenance work, including between $4 and $5 million to fix potholes. Each pothole costs about $25 to repair. Since 2015, the City has repaired an average of 224,440 potholes annually.

Road users and business owners can help by reporting potholes when they see them. Potholes can be reported at http://www.toronto.ca/potholes. Members of the public can also report potholes by calling 311, emailing 311@toronto.ca, or by 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.

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