As the days grow warmer and longer, the sun struggles to shine, and the snow recedes and disappears, the springtime ritual of dodging potholes has begun. Roads that were once icy driving hazards have become pock-ridden with painful potholes instead.
"It does kind of seem like it's a little worse than usual," said Lyndon Lay, director of public works for the Town of Bonnyville. "I don't know if it can be attributed to a worse winter — more snow, more moisture — or heavier traffic because of the oil activity."
Potholes are currently the number one priority at public works, as the spring thaw and any resulting culvert backups are under control, he said.
"We try to hit the worst ones first, the bad ones," Lay explained. "Then we work out from there."
However, patching a pothole is really only a temporary measure.
"The repairs don't last very long. It's just a patch to fill the hole, so any big traffic pushes it out again. It's an ongoing thing," Lay added.
Potholes are more than just a pesky springtime problem; they can also lead to vehicle damage, according to Morriss Lessard from Westside Muffler and Automotive Ltd.
"A lot of times when you hit a pothole really hard it's hard on the front end," he explained. "Put it this way - if you drive too fast and you start hitting potholes, than yes, you'll cause damage. But if you drive sensibly and hit a pothole, it just pisses you off, really. As long as you don't give your car a really sharp jar, you'll be OK."
