City crews hope to fill more than 6,000 potholes today as part of a one-day blitz.
The blitz began at 5 a.m. and is expected to continue all day.
It comes on the heels of a similar blitz last month, in which crews were able to fill 5,826 potholes.
So far this year, city crews have filled more than 33,000 potholes but that number is expected to rise significantly in the coming weeks.
“We will bet targeting all of our roads today – our expressways, main arterial roadways, collector roads and local rods – so the message to motorists is to expect some delays today and to give yourself some extra time to get where you are going,” Toronto's superintendent of road operations Mark Mills told CP24 on Saturday morning. “We are out there to help. You should notice a major difference in the drivability of these roads by tomorrow morning.”
The city ordinarily has 25 crews out filling potholes this time of year and up to 50 during blitzes but today there will be 90 crews dedicated to that task, thanks to assistance from some Toronto Water staff.
Mills said that he anticipates today’s blitz will be followed by “three or four” similar blitzes over the coming weeks.
“Because of the amount of freeze-thaw cycles we have seen this year I think we have probably seen more (potholes) than we have in previous years,” Mills said.
Mills said that there have already been some lane closures on the Gardiner Expressway near Colborne Lodge Drive to accommodate the filling of potholes and there will continue to be disruptions along that roadway until later this afternoon.
The city says has set aside $4 million to $5 million to repair potholes in 2019 as part of its $182 million road maintenance budget.
They say that each pothole costs about $25 to repair.
