A driver avoiding a pothole on Campus Ring Road

By Tommy Osborne

Potholes

Erratic weather conditions lead to potholes in Prince George

Mar 7, 2025 | 1:56 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The last four weeks have seen drastic weather shifts in Prince George, going from -20°C cold streches, to the recent weeks of positive temperatures, only for the last couple of days to bring both snow and positive temperatures. These conditions have taken their toll on roads, as constantly melting and freezing snow can cause potholes and other damages.

“We’re saturating the roads, we’re overwhelming our catch basins, so our crews are out cutting the ice out of the ditch so that the water can make its way down the gutter pad into the catch basins and trying to keep that water shedding off of the main road and into the catch basin where it belongs. Pooling water, water sitting on the road for long periods of time, traffic going over top of it, it can be a recipe for disaster,” explained the City of Prince George’s Manager of Roads and Fleets.

Since January 1, 2025, 129 service calls have been brought to the City regarding potholes, although Wiseman knows there are more out there than what is being reported.

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“Crews are actively looking for those potholes. We do have pothole trucks out, all three shifts: day shift, afternoon shift and and nights, looking for those potholes and trying to deal with them,” Wiseman said.

While drivers may be noticing a notable amount of potholes as the weather changes, Wiseman pointed out that things have drastically improved over the course of a decade.

“For example, back in 2015, we repaired approximately 15,000 potholes, as opposed to 2024, which would be 1500 to 2000 potholes. So we have made some significant strides,” he said.

Part of the improvement has been thanks to the City sealing cracks of repaired potholes so water can’t get back in, among other factors.

“The reinvestment in our capital paving is paying significant dividends, as well as small things like getting the snow off of the roads in the spring freshet so that the water is not sitting there for long periods of time, making its way into superficial cracks along the asphalt,” Wiseman explained.

What happens if you hit a pothole, causing damages? While some may believe this would leave the City liable, ICBC explains that’s not the case, so it’s always wise to drive cautiously.

“Hitting a pothole is actually considered a collision, so it’s covered under your optional collision coverage, which you can purchase through ICBC or your private insurer,” said ICBC Road Safety Coordinator Tracey Hoffman.

Even if you are a cautious driver, sometimes a pothole or other damages could be inevitable, so Hoffman says having collision coverage could be a good move to avoid any potential troubles.

“What collision coverage does is it covers the cost of repairs to your vehicle. If you collide with another vehicle, with an object, or with the surface of the road, including potholes regardless of fault, and subject to your deductible,” she explained.

If you notice a pothole you can call 3-1-1 on your mobile phone, or call the City at 250-561-7600.

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