It鈥檚 peak 鈥減othole season鈥 right now across the hundreds of kilometers of roads in 91原创 Township, but so far it鈥檚 shaping up to be a pretty average year, according to Township engineering staff.
So far in 2022, there have been 1,700 potholes repaired across the Township, said Aaron Ruhl, the manager of engineering operations for the Township.
Through all of 2021, the Township filled 2,800 potholes. In 2020, a particularly bad year, they filled 4,400, Ruhl said.
So far, 2022 is shaping up to be a typical year, despite a sharp blast of cold at the end of last December and into early January.
Frost, along with heavy traffic, is what causes the most severe potholes. A freeze-thaw cycle allows water in cracks in pavement to freeze into ice, expand, and widen those cracks, prying off parts of the road鈥檚 surface. Traffic will then wear the holes down even more.
The worst time of year is the end of winter and early spring, as fixing all those potholes permanently can鈥檛 take place until there鈥檚 a stretch of relatively warm and dry weather. Until then, crews have to use more temporary measures that don鈥檛 last as long.
The Township crews that deal with potholes watch out for areas that are known to be susceptible to potholes. For the rest of them, they rely on reporting to the Township鈥檚 pothole request line, at 604-532-7300 during weekly business hours, or at 604-543-6722 after hours or on weekends or holidays.
People can also report potholes online at .
Have a story tip? Email: matthew.claxton@langleyadvancetimes.com
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