'It's like a war zone': businesses describe potholes on St. Matthews Avenue
Reid Parker stands in the middle of St. Matthews Avenue with one foot in a deep pothole and one foot on the street surface.
He and other business people in the area are frustrated by continuing issues with what they say are some of the worst potholes in the city.
Parker, a project manager with Eston Industries, said the city has filled the potholes with asphalt, but the fixes don't last.
"We've always had a pothole problem here. It's traditional spring/fall thaw, but this year is the worst I've seen in years," he said.
"It's like a war zone."
The only access to Eston Industries' parking lot and shop is from St. Matthews. There is no alley or lane onto the property, so employees have to use the hole-filled roadway, Parker said.
"It's a problem for the local businesses. We've got potholes here that are four or five inches deep. Especially when there is water on the street, you can't see them. It's a problem for us, for our businesses, for our business vehicles, and it takes its toll on them."
Next door at Pictures-Frames & More, assistant manager Jason Hogue said the problems with potholes have persisted for years.
They've reported the problems to the city many times, but the makeshift repairs don't last and it is having an impact everyone in the area, he said.
"Customers are tired of it. Some of them don't want to visit the store because of the problem. It's so bad that people are afraid they are going to damage their vehicles when they are driving through here," Hogue said.
Local business managers don't understand why the street wasn't fixed when roadwork was done to open St. Matthews Avenue to traffic from St. James Street.
"Why wouldn't this have been a priority at the time?" Hogue said. "It looks like Bosnia during the war. I mean, it looks like grenades have gone off in the street, and it's the entire area. It goes on as far as the eye can see practically."
Scott Gillingham, the city councillor for the area, has told businesses the issue will be addressed this year, Hogue said.
Gillingham said in an email to the CBC that St. Matthews from Route 90 to Ferry Road is part of the industrial/commercial renewal program for 2017 under the local streets improvement program.
'Scan, beware, go slow'
CAA Manitoba runs an annual online voting campaign to pick the worst streets in the province that's expected to start in mid- to late March.
For now, driving cautiously is the best way to prevent the need for costly repairs, CAA said.
CAA also said drivers should:
- Scan the road 10 to 12 seconds ahead for craters or puddles.
- Allow time and space to safely signal and change lanes to avoid them.
- Beware of puddles — it's hard to tell the depth and a pothole can be hiding underneath.
- Check and maintain tire pressure. Properly inflated tires help cushion your vehicle and decrease the possibility of a flat.
- If a pothole is unavoidable, go slow and don't hit the brakes.
Jim Berezowsky, manager of street maintenance for the City of Winnipeg, said fluctuations in the weather such as melt cycles and cold snaps play a role in the wear and tear on roads. Crews were out last weekend filling holes, he said, adding potholes have been appearing more sporadically this year.
"We're trying to get out there as soon as we're presented with [reports about potholes]," he said, especially in high-traffic areas or if the pothole is particularly deep.
"Some of them are very shallow and others — they pose a challenge to the vehicles," said Berezowksy.
There have been hundreds of complaints during the warmer temperatures of the last few weeks and repair work is priority-based, with an emphasis on regional network routes, Berezowksy said.
Parker said he knows the street in front of Eston Industries isn't a main thoroughfare, but it needs better maintenance.
"This one has to be on their priority list. By all means, come down and take a look. I'd like them to travel this road regularly, every day, and then see where it falls in their list."
