Pothole season well underway

The wildly fluctuating temperatures over the last two weeks have ushered in this year's pothole season.

Municipal crews are constantly working on roads to repair the holes as they appear.

Paul Mackey, the director of public works for the City of St. John's, says it may seem as if there are more of them around than ever, but the numbers are actually on par with the average.

"We're about on average with a typical January, running about 220 potholes so far this year," Mackey said.

"We've gone from a low of about 195 to a high of about 235 in a typical January."

He said that it may seem like an exceptional amount because they started appearing all at once.

There is no commercial asphalt on the market at this time of year, so all the city workers can do is patch up the holes as they appear.

"We've got a portable recycling asphalt plant at Robin Hood Bay where we use the old asphalt that we take up during the summer," Mackey said.

He said that as long as temperatures continue to fluctuate, the potholes will be the norm.

"With traffic and heavy rain on it and plows going over it, it really brings on potholes."