Potholes are becoming a problem on some Kamloops streets as the snow melts.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
January 29, 2015 - 7:29 PM
KAMLOOPS - City crews are already working hard to stay on top of the potholes forming on city streets but because of temperatures hovering near 0 Celsius they are being forced to return to the same potholes multiple times.
“Patches only last so long,” Streets Manager Glen Farrow points out. “We don’t have the hot asphalt we’d use during the summer, so the reality is we’re going back to the same ones over and over.”
While the number of potholes forming are not abnormal just yet the freeze thaw cycle we’ve been having, combined with the amount of snow still on the ground from the snow storm at the beginning of January, means it could get worse.
“It could possibly be worse because of the amount of snow,” Farrow notes. “This is perfect pothole creation temperatures. With the increased snow there will be increased water going into cracks where there’s existing deficiencies.”
So far the Overlanders Bridge has proven to be one of the worst areas for potholes, especially where the water main break occurred last month, along with Fortune Drive, Summit Drive and the Aberdeen area. Westsyde Road was upgraded last year and has not been a problem for potholes this season.
With about half of the streets crews focusing on potholes right now keeping up with the main arterial roads has been the goal so far. Farrow says while they do appreciate help from the public in identifying problem spots they are actively patrolling known areas and being proactive about fixing those ones.
To report a pothole you can call Public Works at 250-828-3461 or use the myKamloops app.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2015