Warm weather means more potholes on Toronto’s roads

The unseasonably warm weather means there are more potholes on Toronto’s roads, and it’s not just drivers who are noticing.

“It’s not so bad driving but it’s far worse when I cycle. I ride my bike to work and I find it’s pretty bad,” motorist Jeff told CityNews from behind the wheel of his car.

“They’re very bad. I lost my tire in a pothole in the 401,” another driver said.

“Potholes are probably the number one cause of tire damage, rim damage, ball joint wear and shock wear. It becomes a pretty big safety issue,” said mechanic James McDermott of McDermott Motors.

A constant freeze-thaw cycle is responsible for the increase in the number of potholes, according to Myles Currie, Toronto’s director of transportation.

“We’ve repaired 29,000 potholes this year compared to 21,000 last year,” he said during an interview.

“When we have rain or snow, and it turns into ice overnight, it gets in the cracks and in between the layers of asphalt. When it freezes, that lifts the asphalt, and when people drive over that, it breaks, creating potholes,” Currie explained.

“Normally we see a rise in potholes from March to May. This year, the increase is much earlier.”

While we’ve seen a significant increase in the number of potholes, it’s not all bad news. Currie said that the city has been able to do more road repairs because fewer employees are needed for snow removal.

It costs about $20 to repair each pothole depending on their size and where they’re located, Currie said.  

How is your commute? Let us know in the comments or share your story and photos with us at toronto.citynews.ca/submit.
 

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today