Letters to the Editor

Thursday 15 March 2012

Report a pothole

Photo of a pothole 

FREDERICTON - To assist with the City of Fredericton’s efforts to manage potholes, residents are being urged to “report a pothole.”  Residents can do so by eMail, Facebook (City of Fredericton) or phone at 506-460-2038.

Reports to the City about potholes will be passed along to roads and streets crews who will make repairs as soon as possible.  Reports involving provincially designated roadways and bridges will be forwarded to the provincial Department of Transportation.

Potholes form when water seeps through cracks in the road.  The water freezes and then expands breaking the pavement.  When the ice under the road bed melts, a void or soft spot is created.  As traffic drives across the soft spot, the weakened asphalt is displaced creating a pothole.  

During the winter months, potholes are patched using cold mix asphalt.  Unfortunately, due to weather conditions, the repair may only be temporary.  During spring and summer, repairs are made using hot mix asphalt, resulting in a more permanent repair.