CITY USES ALMOST 3,000 TONNES OF ASPHALT TO REPAIR 160,000 POTHOLES
The City of Saskatoon has completed pothole patching in 90% of neighbourhoods so far this summer. To date, more than 2,800 tonnes of asphalt has been used to repair potholes. This is the equivalent of approximately 160,000 repaired potholes, based on an average 12 x 4 inch hole.
“After a slower than expected start to the season due to weather, in particular above average June rainfall, pothole patching is progressing well and our streets are looking great,” says Pat Hyde, Director of Public Works. “An increase in funding this year has allowed us to utilize private contractor crews and keep more civic crews working simultaneously, addressing potholes on the high traffic priority roads as well as on residential streets.”
In 2014, funding increased by $550,000 for the Spring Pothole Blitz on high traffic priority streets and $500,000 for Summer Pothole Patching in residential areas.
“Since its launch in March, 3,671 locations have been reported by residents using the Report-a-Pothole interactive map. Nearly all of the locations that are in fact potholes have been repaired,” says Hyde. The City also identifies potholes through regular road inspections and schedules these for repair.
Many of the outstanding unrepaired locations showing on the map are actually utility cuts. These are excavations required throughout the year to maintain, connect and repair underground utilities. A different process is applied to repairing these utility cuts than that for potholes. To date, crews have permanently repaired 667 of the 1123 utility cuts. The current list of locations requiring permanent asphalt repairs are all expected to be complete by the end of September.
The City has also been busy making repairs to sidewalks to address deficiencies and enhance public safety. Repairs range from concrete patching, asphalt patching or overlay to full sidewalk replacement. Crews also continue back lane maintenance and rehabilitation, as well as regular street sweeping along high traffic routes and in business areas.
Slow down, pay attention and respect work zones. Watch for pedestrians and work crews, and for everyone’s safety, please obey all detours, signs and barriers.
Know before you go! Plan your route around road work by checking our Road Restrictions and Construction Projects interactive map. Find traffic detour information on our saskatoon.ca homepage or subscribe to our Traffic Detour Service Alerts. You can also follow us on Twitter @cityofsaskatoon and with #betterroadsYXE and like Saskatoon City News on Facebook.