Pothole season in Winnipeg is keeping crews, repair shops busy

New data shows this year's spring thaw has been especially dangerous for Manitoba drivers, putting us on pace to record the highest number of pothole complaints in six years.

According to Manitoba Public Insurance, 1,634 pothole claims had been filed as of April 7, with 971 in March alone.

This exceeded the total for 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively.

This year's pothole complaints are also surpassing 2022's high of 5,395 pothole complaints.

That year, in the first three months of 2022, there were 701 pothole complaints. In the same period of 2024, there were 1,466 complaints.

This year's early thaw also caused confusion for city employees. A city spokesperson told CTV News Winnipeg it has filled more than 76,000 potholes this year, more than double the amount filled at the same time last year.

Although potholes can be damaging to your car, MPI has some tips for managing them safely, such as scanning as far away from you as possible for expensive craters, slowing down as much as possible beforehand and avoiding swerving.

The insurer also says that potholes often appear on the side of the road, where water collects and hides explosions. Motorists are urged to approach puddles with caution, like potholes.