Spring has sprung in the Maritimes and in our fluctuating climate, that means potholes have, too.
Some of the larger ones in Halifax have already been addressed, including a significant one coming from Massachusetts Avenue approaching the Windsor Street Exchange.
But tire shops have had a busy season already, especially compared to recent memory.
“We’ve had a lot of customers come in with pothole (damage) or at least calls,” says Savanah Mountain, a manager at Speedy Auto Service. “It’s a lot different than it has been over the last couple of years.”
The city says 1,649 potholes have been repaired since New Year’s Day. One-thousand-four-hundred-six need attention, including 554 “high priority” potholes. Priority one potholes are at least 25 centimeters in diameter and eight centimeters in depth.
Many people in the region are used to the impacts of the constant temperature change.
“I wouldn’t say it’s out of the ordinary in any way,” says Rick Canning. “Just regular, ‘Oh, look, winter beat up our roads again,’ kind of thing.”
“In the south end, it’s pretty common to be driving around common routes and sometimes you see them and sometimes you don’t,” says Dan Ota.
But potholes aren’t even his top priority when it comes to Halifax roadways.
“I think it’s more just dodging all the construction happening around the peninsula these days,” he says.
And while some potholes may be avoidable, others are not. That was something a customer at Speedy Auto Service learned the hard way.
“We had a customer come in and something was going on with the tire. She had a wobble, and it was her rims,” says Mountain. “They were banged up from the potholes that she went through. So, we ordered her in brand new rims; they were about $700. And a week later she had the exact same pothole.”
And with more and more vehicles going with low-profile tires – meaning less rubber between rim and road – there’s more chance of damage.
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