Our crews patrol streets to locate potholes to flag for repair
You can help with locating potholes in Kitchener and get them flagged for repair

TO REPORT A POTHOLE

CALL OUR 24 HOUR CORPORATE CONTACT CENTRE AT 519.741.2345
OR 
USE OUR ONLINE REPORTING TOOL HERE

Take note of the exact location of the pothole.
Include the street, if it's on the odd or even numbered side of the street.
An address or any nearby features that make it easier to locate.

Winter Weather Challenges
Winter weather creates perfect conditions for potholes, but the worst conditions for repairing them.
(See the infographic and information on how potholes form below)
In winter months our crews use cold patch to quickly, temporarily fill potholes.
Cold patches can be applied in freezing, wet conditions,
They don’t bond tightly to the pavement because potholes have ice, water and salt brine in them.
Cold patches are a temporary fix and sometimes only last a few days.
They loosen, crack and pop out as cars and trucks drive over them
Some of our snow loading crews have been reassigned to help cold patch efforts
They are working through the night

Spring and Summer Are Coming
Permanent repairs require hot‑mix asphalt installed at high temperatures.
This allows it to  fuse with the existing pavement and be fully compacted.
This can only happen in warmer weather
The pavement must be dry and the asphalt has to stay hot long enough to form a strong, long‑lasting repair.
Hot asphalt plants operate between May and December

Thank You For Your Patience
This year’s extreme winter has created an unusually high number of potholes across the city.
Our crews are working hard to respond as quickly as possible.
Temporary winter patches help temporarily now
We’ll return in the spring and summer to complete permanent hot‑mix asphalt repairs.
Your patience and understanding truly make a difference as we work through this busy season.

Once The Warmer Weather is Here
Our staff are required by Provincial legislation to prioritize pothole repairs based on roads with the most traffic.
​This is similar to the priorities given to roads for snow clearing.
Roads with the most traffic volume will be repaired first.
Staff are already planning their repair schedules and methods
Where potholes are grouped together - a larger road patch will be used
Where there are single potholes - a single patch will be used
​It will take considerable time to address all potholes

​1. Water Seeps into Cracks, Asphalt surfaces naturally develop small cracks over time due to wear and tear. When it rains or snow melts, water infiltrates these cracks and settles beneath the pavement. This moisture sets the stage for damage when temperatures drop.

2. Water Freezes and Expands. When the temperature falls below freezing, the water trapped in the cracks turns to ice. Since ice occupies more volume than liquid water, it expands and pushes against the surrounding pavement. This expansion widens the cracks and weakens the structural integrity of the road surface.

3. Ice Melts, Leaving a Gap. As temperatures rise again, the ice melts and leaves behind a void or gap beneath the pavement. The surface may appear intact, but it is now unsupported and vulnerable to stress. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles amplify this damage, gradually eroding the base layers of the road.

4. Traffic Breaks the Pavement. Vehicles driving over these weakened areas exert pressure on the unsupported pavement. Eventually, the surface collapses into the gap, forming a pothole. The more traffic the road sees—especially heavy trucks, the faster the deterioration occurs.

TO REPORT A POTHOLE

CALL OUR 24 HOUR CORPORATE CONTACT CENTRE AT 519.741.2345
OR 
USE OUR ONLINE REPORTING TOOL HERE

Take note of the exact location of the pothole.
Include the street, if it's on the odd or even numbered side of the street.
An address or any nearby features that make it easier to locate.