Bumping along on Dundas Street? Pothole repaving approved for Argyle section that drivers say is bad

As the usual freezing and thawing of winter beats up roads across London, a stretch of road on Dundas Street has been approved for special treatment.

At Wednesday's planning and environment meeting, the ward councillor Shawn Lewis presented a motion to immediately rehabilitate Dundas, between Burdick Place and Beatrice Street, because of what he views as extensive potholes.

His motion included a request for the city to stop working on a project focused on the beautification of the Argyle neighbourhood and instead spend more time improving the area's basic needs.

"We've got to get back to the nuts and bolts, and then we can look at those other considerations down the road," Lewis told CBC News. "This is our business corridor; it's a gateway to the city from the east end, and it's in absolutely abysmal shape."

Coun. Peter Cuddy, Coun. Elizabeth Peloza and Coun. Steven Hillier and Lewis all voted to pass the motion.

Work to rehabilitate the stretch of Dundas in question began in 2019, with repaving completed between Highbury and Burdick Place in the fall 2021. The remainder of the work was scheduled to be completed in 2022, but was pushed back to 2024.

Lewis said he recently found out it was again stalled to 2026 due to the Dundas Streetscape Master Plan for the Argyle Core Area, which is designed to focus on increasing neighbourhood safety, supporting businesses and beautifying the area.

The plan did not receive funding in the city's most recent multi-year budget. 

"We cannot hold up necessary work for potential changes in the future that may or may not get passed by council," Lewis said. 

Argyle businesses used to potholes

Lewis's motion was backed up by the Argyle Business Improvement Association (BIA), which submitted a letter of support, saying the repaving would benefit businesses in the community. 

"It's pretty rough in spots," said Doug Box, who owns Maple City Tire on Dundas near Winnipeg Boulevard. "The outside part of the lane to the curb is rougher than the centre of the road, but it's really quite off-road."

He said potholes throughout the city are damaging Londoners' cars, causing issues from bent rims to cut tires. 

"The plows beat them up real bad in the winter," said Tim Suddes, who works at Tobince Mufflers & Brakes, also located along Dundas.

Both said that the cold conditions are bringing more people into their businesses, as roads are increasingly damaged by water, salt, machinery and temperature changes. 

That's one of the reasons, Lewis said, it was important to bring forward the motion now. 

"The cold patch that we use in the winter is not particularly durable so it doesn't last," he said. "Those potholes are going to be back on the road before winter leaves."

Suddes said his own vehicle had been damaged due to a pothole on Dundas, and when he called the city about it, he was told there were numerous complaints before him. He said the pothole was filled within a day.

Lewis said, however, that the current patching system is not enough.

"We can't just keep putting band-aids on things. We have to find the root cause," Lewis said. 

None of the workers said they think poor road conditions on Dundas are hurting their businesses, but Ramandeep Kaur at Rajdhani Sweets & Restaurant said she worries that the eventual repaving could.

"I think if there's construction, people won't want to come," she said. 

Lewis said construction and lane closures are part of the growing pains that come with rehabilitating the area and that the city would work with the Argyle BIA to maintain access to businesses. 

"It's always an impact of living in a city on a business corridor," he said. "Construction has to happen, and we do our best."

The motion will now go to full council for approval.