Pot Hole Information - Updated April 24, 2026:

  • We have logged 1357 pothole service requests. they come from a combination of staff monitoring and residents reporting them.  That's 194 more than last year
  • There were extreme conditions this winter, along with a rapid thaw and consistent rainfall through mid-April. This really accelerated pavement deterioration.
  • Since March, crews have been addressing both newly formed and recurring potholes, especially on main and regional roads with the most traffic
  • It’s challenging and top of mind for residents
  • We’ve added 2 additional hotboxes for holding hot mix asphalt and secured more hot mix asphalt from plants in Hamilton to be able to complete more repairs sooner.
  • Equipment and staffing levels have been doubled. Staff are working at full capacity to address potholes and will keep addressing them long as needed.
  • With winter’s cold and wet conditions, we can only make temporary repairs with cold mix asphalt. This means the same area may experience potholes several times throughout the season as temporary repairs are dislodged.
  • We track areas that received temporary repairs and return to those areas when conditions improve to do permanent repairs with hot mix asphalt.
  • Better, warmer and more consistent weather conditions will allow our crews to complete a lot more permanent repairs on main and regional roads.
  • As conditions continue to improve, we will be shifting increased focus to secondary and residential roads.
  • City staff constantly monitor road conditions to identify areas in need of repair and prioritize pothole repairs based on safety factors such as size, location, and traffic volume.
  • We keep a comprehensive log of service requests informed by our own road patrols and reports made by residents. Even if a pothole has a lower repair priority, it is logged in our system until it is repaired.
  • Since early March, we have been able to begin using hot mix asphalt for more permanent repairs when weather conditions allow.
  • All year long, City staff regularly monitor road conditions to identify areas in need of repair and prioritize pothole repairs based on safety factors such as size, location, and traffic volume.
  • We keep a comprehensive log of service requests informed by our own road patrols and reports made by residents. Even if a pothole has a lower repair priority, it is logged in our system until it is repaired.
  • Residents can report potholes at Kitchener.ca/ReportAProblem or by contacting our corporate contact centre at 519-741-2345.
  • For information on making a claim for damage caused by a pothole visit https://www.kitchener.ca/council-and-city-administration/making-a-claim/

Are more ways needed to inform the public of areas to avoid with large potholes 
  • Potholes will be included in an annual assessment of Kitchener’s winter operations and communications, with a report on operations expected to return to City council in a few months. 
  • The nature of pothole repairs means road repair crews can show up on a road on short notice. We encourage drivers to drive cautiously and according to road conditions.  

How is it decided which potholes to tackle first? 
  • City staff regularly monitor road conditions to identify areas in need of repair and prioritize pothole repairs based on safety factors such as size, location, and traffic volume.  
  • We keep a comprehensive log of service requests informed by our own road patrols and reports made by residents.
  • Even if a pothole has a lower repair priority, it is logged in our system until it is repaired. 
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.
Submit A Claim For Damage Caused By A Pothole HERE
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.