Metro Vancouver potholes range in severity after cold snap
Posted January 10, 2022 11:56 am.
Last Updated January 10, 2022 11:58 am.
You’ll want to keep your ‘head on a swivel’ for the next few days on the roads around Metro Vancouver and beyond.
The recent bout of freezing and warming temperatures means potholes have popped up around the region.
“Cold weather has got some moisture frozen into the pavement surface or into the substructure, and now that we’re warming up and the freeze-thaw cycle’s coming out of it, the pavement tends to move, and buckle, and crack, and now with the water going in, it’s starting to fall apart,” explained Darren Ell, general manager of Mainroad Contracting.
“There’s varying different areas, different locations because of the moisture coming through the road base. But there’s some areas that are seeing significant potholes popping up.”
The Queensborough Bridge is one of Mainroad’s main concerns at the moment, Ell says, adding there have also been some issues reported on Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge, at the George Massey Tunnel, and along Highway 10.
URGENT POTHOLE REPAIRS TODAY
Watch for crews & be prepared to stop in the #QueensboroughBridge & #AnnacisIsland areas thru 2:30 PM Monday
Drive with caution, obey traffic control; Rolling traffic stoppages in effect. #DeltaBC #NewWest @New_Westminster @CityofDeltaBC pic.twitter.com/ctp35kWt3H
— Mainroad Lower Mainland Contracting (@MainroadLM) January 10, 2022
He adds crews are already out doing the most immediate repairs needed.
“Unfortunately, the ones on the Queensborough right now tend to be the bigger ones, so that’s why we’re doing the emergent repairs during the day and then taking away that risk. Typically we do this work at night or during periods of low traffic volumes, but because they are so large, we had to address them right away,” Ell explained.
The time it takes to make repairs can vary, though Ell expects most of the bigger jobs to be done within the coming days.
Significant potholes are being dealt with as they pop up, he says, adding some areas will see short-term repairs before long-term work will be done at a later date.
However, work is likely to slow down because of the latest blast of wet weather from yet another forecasted atmospheric river this week.
“We don’t want to hinder the travelling public, if we can mitigate that. Unfortunately we are doing this to reduce the risk to the travelling public and the safety of the drivers, so we’re out there just trying to get in and get out as fast as we can. People just need to be patient and drive with care.”
