People who fill Regina’s potholes, like so many workers, have had to comply with COVID health orders that slowed down their jobs.
“The reduction in tonnage is due to the six-week delay to the start of the season and a delay in the start of our contracted support due to COVID,” said Evan Guenther, who is the manager of roadway maintenance operations for the City of Regina.
According to Guenther, only 3,000 tons of asphalt, and other materials were used to fill potholes during the last year, ending April 1. During the previous year, 3,800 tons were used.
If you are wondering how they fill in a pothole then here is a video on how to do it.
That means there have been some bad potholes for Regina’s drivers on their way to work.
“Like last year, I kind of decided that I wanted to stop driving my nice car to work because the roads to work were kind of bad,” said Regina driver Jordan Blodgett. “But this year, there’s a few times we’re like, ‘This is atrocious!’
The people of Regina do not like potholes as one Regina resident vented their frustrations online via a tweet.
The roads in Regina are horrid with all the freeze thaw cycles we saw this winter. Rain then snow then thaw then rain then freeze then snow then rain then colder than Pluto then rain then snow. Potholes galore. Don't worry as Scott Moe believes climate change doesn't cost ???? https://t.co/0rvJTnWZmc
— M ???????? (@habpipes) March 14, 2021
“They filled a lot by IKS{where Blodgett works}, but for a while now there have been a few like, ‘Man, if I hit that I’d cause some serious damage,’ ” said Blodgett.
According to Guenther, the city’s annual budget for road repairs is $1.75 million.
There were 319 roadbed collision claims made that included the word “pothole” to SGI last year according to SGI media relations manager Tyler McMurchy. This year there have been 61 that includes the word “pothole” in the accident report, although McMurchy said there may be some unreported.
“Sometimes there’s a delay between when the incident occurs that causes them to make a claim,” said McMurchy. “Particularly if their vehicle is not damaged to the point where they can’t drive it.”
SGI Claim Centre was closed from March, 2020, to June, 2020 because of COVID.
Currently, at the SGI Claim Center, there are health procedures in place for their customers and largely it is back to normal.
This has affected some businesses that deal with pothole-related issues.
“Wheel alignments have been a lot slower with a lot less people driving,” said John Nistor, a mechanic for Rudy’s Brakes & Steering LTD.
Business was also slow for Kevin Mignon, who owns Queen City Potholes, a local company that gets contracted by private owners and the city.
“Last year, it was very slow,” said Mignon, adding that he has seen little difference in the severity of potholes during the 37 years he is in the business.
Most asphalt companies do not open until the end of April to begin dealing with the most serious potholes.
“We put out the big fires first,” said Mignon who used to work for the City of Regina. “Then you deal with the little ones.
“If I know there is a job, I do it immediately. I don’t wait. I do it; I think that is how I get a lot of business when I get a job.”
Regina Beach made an article on March 18 that talks about Spring Road Maintenance.
