Pothole season is underway in Winnipeg

CTV Winnipeg: Pothole season underway in Winnipeg CTV’s Caroline Barghout reports on the city seeing a higher than usual number of complaints about potholes so far this year.

The City of Winnipeg says it has already received more than 300 phone calls about pot holes.

That is more than the usual volume of calls at this time of year and some drivers have told CTV the roads are worse than ever.

“I’ve never seen them this bad,” said truck driver Gerald Kehler, “You never know when you’re going to tear out a front end.”

Tyler Mayer works at an auto repair shop and said he is already seeing the consequences.

“People come in and they have bent rims, flat tires from it,” he said, “Damage to the struts, to the shocks, to their tire rods. And that’s all major damage that does occur from potholes.”

He said damage caused by potholes can cost drivers up to a $1,000 to repair.

The City of Winnipeg is blaming the high number of potholes on warmer temperatures.

“That’s caused the freeze-thaw and caused the potholes to emerge,” said Ken Allen of the city’s Public Works Department.

He said city crews have been out patching up potholes for the last month and plans are in the works to ramp up resources in the days and weeks to come.