PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. — Pothole repair needs in Prince George, B.C. are lessening thanks to road rehabilitation investment by the city.
The city recently announced that the last few years have seen fewer potholes on roads and fewer requests from residents for pothole fixes.
In 2011 the city increased the annual road rehabilitation budget from $3.5 million to more than $5 million. Since then, pothole projects have plummeted by 70 per cent.
At their worst, more than 22,000 potholes had to be repaired in 2012. Last year, crews only needed to repair 7,000. The number of pothole-related complaints has fallen from 2,000 in 2012 to about 900 in 2018.
This has allowed the city to reallocate $1.35 million in funding from the Federal Gas Fax Fund from the road rehabilitation budget to focus on parks and sidewalks.
Crews with the City of Prince George patch potholes year round, but the majority of patch work begins with the first big melt of the year which is currently underway. Residents can assist crews by calling in potholes to 311 if within city limits or at 250-561-7600.
Crews will be using an asphalt recycler to patch potholes in advance of paving season later this spring. The recycler is able to generate a maximum of 10 tonnes of “hot mix” asphalt per hour during the colder months of the year when the less preferable “cold mix” asphalt must typically be used.
The city advised drivers to use extra caution while on the roads as the as the spring melt is the worst time of year for potholes. In addition, puddles of meltwater and ponding on the roads often hide potholes that can result in vehicle damage and personal injury if hit at a high rate of speed.
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