Pothole problems plaguing drivers amid spring thaw

Spring is here and so too is pothole season, something some Winnipeg drivers are already facing the repercussions of.

On Saturday, Chris Wiebe was helping his 17-year-old daughter practice her driving skills when they came across a large pothole on Cottonwood Road in Windsor Park.

"She moved over, but because of the size of the pothole, there wasn't a whole lot of room on both sides. She didn't want to hit the curb on one side so she ended up clipping the pothole, just the corner of it," recalled Wiebe.

The resulting impact damaged the tire's sidewall.  

"Half the time with the spring thaw, (potholes) are covered in water, so you don't see it until you're in it," said Wiebe.

Logan Kilmury, the owner of Pit Crew Mobile Tire Service said he's been receiving many calls from people experiencing similar pothole damage.

"There's been quite a few a day," said Kilmury. "Most of the time, we are able to fix them, but there are the odd ones that are a little too far gone, but that's just the way it goes."

According to Kilmury, the best way to avoid pothole damage is to ensure your tires are in proper condition.

"Just make sure your tires are inflated. Most people don't check them when the warm weather comes around, it's more so just when the cold weather happens," he said.

"When the tire compresses and actually touches the wheel it blows out the sidewall of the tire which is an irreparable service."

The City of Winnipeg said crews started repairing potholes as required earlier this month.

"Residents are encouraged to report potholes to the city by contacting 311, or by filling out an online form. Very large or deep potholes that pose an imminent safety concern are forwarded directly to field crews for immediate attention," reads part of a statement from the city to CTV News.

The City of Winnipeg said it will move to full-time seasonal repairs once the ground completely thaws.

It notes that around 170,000 potholes are filled annually.

While the pothole that claimed Wiebe's tire has been filled now, it still does not fix his tire.

"It's never a good time," said Wiebe. "Bills keep coming in like everybody else, and something like this doesn't help."

CTV News reached out to Manitoba Public Insurance about pothole-related claims. It said it has received less than two dozen pothole claims so far.