Snow and ice aren’t the only hazards Lower Mainland drivers face this winter — potholes are also causing issues across the region.
“There will be more potholes — there always is after cold weather,” said Jamie Umpleby, director of public works for the City of Coquitlam. “It really isn’t unexpected for this to happen.”
Potholes form when water gets into cracks in asphalt, seeps in between layers and into the ground underneath, then freezes, expands and causes larger cracks. When the ice thaws, the weakened asphalt collapses.
Thanks to the multiple freezing and thawing cycles that have taken place since early December, potholes are popping up everywhere, from the Oak Street Bridge in Vancouver to the streets of Surrey.
Although most City of Vancouver staff are focused on snow and ice mitigation, a couple of crews began to repair potholes on Tuesday, starting with high-priority locations.
The city anticipates more damage than usual due to the weather. Each year, Vancouver repairs an average of 32,000 potholes.
Rob Costanzo, Surrey’s manager of engineering operations, said the city typically deals with 7,000 potholes per year and the last harsh winter, which was 2008/2009, added about 2,000 potholes to the annual tally.
Since the week of Dec. 5, when the snow first started to fall, Costanzo’s department has fielded 192 service requests about potholes. Many of those requests include multiple people complaining about the same pothole. In December, crews filled in 700 potholes.
Other than that, Costanzo said, there have been no major road issues.
“We just don’t have enough snow,” he said. “It’s relatively tame compared to other parts of Canada, where they have greater concerns.”
So far, the City of North Vancouver’s main roads have not been hit by many extra potholes, but the freezing and thawing cycles will likely result in more road maintenance when temperatures become more spring like.
“Right now our priority is ensuring the streets are cleared and passable, particularly the main roads and collector routes,” said city spokeswoman Connie Rabold.
The District of North Vancouver expects some minor damage as a result of snow, cold temperatures and salt use, but a spokeswoman said the regular maintenance budget will cover the cost of any related road repairs.
City of Richmond spokeswoman Kim Decker said the city does not anticipate any significant infrastructure or road damage from salt or cold temperatures, other than a handful of water main breaks as temperatures rise and thawing begins.
“We have regular maintenance programs in place to deal with these events,” she said.
Umpleby said Coquitlam has had an increase in calls about potholes and crews out patching. Thus far there haven’t been any significant holes. The extent of the damage will depend on how long it stays cold and how deep the frost penetrates.
