City crews are set to patrol for potholes this week, after mild weather created ideal conditions for cracks to develop on Waterloo Region’s streets.
About a dozen people tweeted CTV Kitchener on Sunday, naming streets and intersections where they have encountered pesky potholes.
Among those frustrated with the pockmarked streets is Bosa Mihajlovic.
She was driving along Westmount Road in Kitchener on Saturday night when she struck a series of cracks.
“The tire went completely off the rim, so it’s all slashed up and damaged,” says Mihajlovic. “[I] had to replace the whole wheel. The whole front wheel.”
She adds she wasn’t the only one with flat tires Saturday evening – several drivers were forced to limp off the road into in a nearby parking lot where they could assess the damage.
Another Kitchener resident contacted CTV Kitchener after a run-in with a pothole burst two of his tires, and threw his sway bar out of alignment.
The total cost of repairs: $450.
According to Scott Berry, manager of maintenance operations at the City of Kitchener, this week’s 30-degree temperature swing is hampering repair efforts.
“It’s very difficult to affect a permanent repair for a pothole when there’s moisture present,” he says.
Because of the unusual conditions, Kitchener crews are assessing each pothole individually.
“We are using a variety of materials, including a pre-mix, as well as hot mix products. But that moisture is certainly a challenge,” says Berry.
Kitchener Councillor Peter Singh tweeted CTV Kitchener Sunday afternoon saying he is also planning to survey Ward 6 streets for cracks.
So far, the City of Kitchener says it has only received seven pothole complaints.
If you would like to report a pothole in your city, call the following numbers:
Cambridge 519-740-4671
Kitchener 519-741-2345
Waterloo 519-886-2310
With files from CTVNews.ca.
