It is easy to think that maintaining roads during the winter is all about clearing snow, but actually the cold months take a toll on North Bay roads for the rest of the year. Thawing ice and snow seeps into the cracks in asphalt and when it freezes again it expands and cracks the road, causing potholes.
The city is warning that the post winter potholes could be bigger and more frequent this year and that is may not have the budget or time to fix them all. This winter has seen some extremely wintery conditions, but it has also been a warmer than usual winter, meaning the thaw and freeze cycle has repeated more often than normal.
The result is more potholes and bigger potholes. The city usually patches the roads in spring as a temporary fix until asphalt plants reopen in May. However, the city says it is overstretched at the moment, but is doing its best to reach all potholes. Crew work on a worse first basis, tackling the potholes that need the most attention before moving on to less sever cracks.
The city urges the public to report potholes they see, while explaining to motorists the potholes can be a hazard when driving.
Potholes should be deterrent enough to not speed in the North Bay area, as a car going over the legal speed limits could lose control if it hits a sizeable pothole. Collisions can occur in such circumstance or severe damage can be caused to a vehicle.