City of Lethbridge crews have been taking advantage of recent spring-like conditions, with workers filling potholes on local roads.
During the winter months, local asphalt plants are closed, which means crews cannot obtain hot and fresh asphalt to fill potholes. Normally, crews must use cold asphalt, which officials say must be replaced several times during the winter season.
The City has addressed this issue by utilizing an asphalt recycler.
The machine takes leftover asphalt used during summer construction projects and transforms it into usable, hot asphalt, which is transported to repair sites in a truck equipped with a hot box. That helps the material stay warm and able to bind with the existing road surface that is being fixed.
“Normally, crews would use something called cold mix – cold asphalt that they place in those holes to create a temporary fix, and then our crews would come back in the spring when hot asphalt is available and repatch those areas,” says Juliane Ruck, Transportation Operations Manager.
“The City of Lethbridge operates an asphalt recycler, where we use asphalt from summer construction sites and then we process and create a hot asphalt product that we can use. We found that most of the time, very often, those patches don’t have to be addressed by crews in the summer, which creates more capacity for other road repairs.”
Ruck adds this process has an economic advantage as well, as it lessens the need for crews to go back and repair previously fixed potholes.
“Our road network is constantly growing,” she says.
“So, this is minor road maintenance to make the roads last longer and [avoid the need for] major repairs [in the future],” Ruck remarks, adding there is about 580 kilometres of roadways in Lethbridge.
HOW POTHOLES ARE FORMED
Ruck explains that harsh winter conditions and drastic weather changes are the primary causes of potholes in the city.
When the temperatures heat up, water from snow and ice melts seeps into cracks on road surfaces and settles underground. When temperatures fall below zero, that water freezes and expands, which breaks down the asphalt.
As vehicles drive over damaged areas, the asphalt is loosened. That leads to potholes appearing. By the spring, the aftermath remains on the surface, which results in potholes of various shapes and sizes around the city.
PRIORITY POTHOLES
Officials note priority for repairs is given to potholes that present a hazard in the driving lanes of busy streets.
The City explains some potholes on side streets might take longer to fill due to their location and the speed of traffic.
Officials say the overall road condition is measured with the paving quality index, with roads that are in “very bad condition” scheduled for an overlay.
City of Lethbridge crews use an asphalt recycler as part of their winter pothole repair operations.#LocalNews #MyLethbridgeNow #YQL #RoadWork #Potholes #LocalRoads pic.twitter.com/TDHHzYJidY
— Justin Goulet (@JustinGoulet21) February 5, 2026
To minimize impacts on motorists, the City says crews “do their best to avoid peak traffic hours” and to help keep workers safe, motorists are asked to:
- Slow down;
- Follow all signs and detour notice, and do not drive through areas that are temporarily closed or work sites;
- Drive with care around potholes and if you cannot avoid one, approach it slowly to reduce the impact on your vehicle and the road;
Additionally, cyclists are asked to travel with caution as bike lanes and boulevards are not immune to cracking.
Potholes can be reported to Lethbridge 311, either by phone or online.
