Potholes and road closure: King warns road users to drive with caution

Township has seen increase in potholes, ponding due to extreme temperature changes

Yorkregion.com
March 20, 2019
Sheila Wang

King Township urges motorists to watch out for poor road conditions including potholes, ponding and soft spots.

King issued a press release on March to warn road users of an increase in potholes and ponding on local roads due to the extreme temperature changes over the last several weeks.

Old Bathurst Road has been closed to all but local traffic due to its poor condition, and other roads may need to be temporarily closed as well, according to the press release.

The poor road conditions that appear both on paved and gravel roads throughout King are a result of the recent weather cycles of extreme cold followed by warmer temperatures.

Potholes tend to occur when frost leaves the ground, creating heaves in the pavement, and the continual freezing and thawing loosens the asphalt.

King staff are out assessing the conditions of some 300-kilometre roads that the township maintains and making repairs as quickly as possible, the press release notes.

However, the repairs cannot take place until the roadway and its base are relatively dry.

Throughout the winter and during colder months, potholes are repaired with a temporary patch, called cold mix. During the summer months, regular hot mix asphalt is used. Hot mix is a more permanent fix.

While township roads have been constantly monitored by patrollers, motorists are asked to drive with caution and call the local office of the department at 905-833-5321 to report any safety concerns, such as washouts, severely eroded shoulders or sinkholes.

Temporary closures will be advertised through 905-833-5321, King’s website, Twitter and Facebook.