It’s the first day of spring on Tuesday (March 19), but the City of Peterborough has already started its annual spring street maintenance program of street sweeping and pothole patching.
With the mild temperatures and lack of snow and ice, the annual program is beginning almost three weeks earlier than last year.
From March to May, the city’s street sweepers will be cleaning all 958 lane kilometres of roadways in the city, as well as city-owned sidewalks, trails, and parking lots. Many areas receive a secondary sweep as required, based on the amount of residue on the surface.
Each year, crews begin street sweeping at a different area of the city. This year, street sweeping will begin in the city’s east end, followed by the north and west ends and finishing in the south end. The work typically takes seven weeks to complete, depending on weather conditions.
The city is asking residents to keep streets clear by placing garbage and recycling containers on lawns or driveways, removing sports nets, and not parking on the street. This ensures the sweeping equipment can reach the full street surface.
The city is also asking residents to proceed with caution when approaching street-sweeping vehicles, and allow for plenty of room for safe operations.
The city’s public works crews are also patching potholes in city streets, which frequently happen in late winter and early spring when water gets below the surface of the road and is subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Water expands when it freezes and weakens the pavement, with traffic driving over weakened areas causing potholes.
The city is asking motorists to use caution and reduce speed when approaching road maintenance crews, leaving a safe distance for crews to complete their work.
While the city monitors and fixes road surfaces year-round according provincial maintenance standards as conditions permit, residents can report potholes that need attention using the online form at www.peterborough.ca/reportanissue.
