THUNDER BAY — Now that Thunder Bay's prolonged winter and cool spring are in the rear-view mirror, road crews are making substantial progress patching the multitude of holes that developed on city streets.
But the work continues for the city's insurance adjuster as it reviews a backlog of claims for compensation for damage to vehicles.
In a statement to TBnewswatch, the city said there were 148 claims in 2022, a number it described as an "unusual volume."
From Jan. 1 to present, the city received an additional 67 claims.
Each claim requires investigation by the insurance adjuster with the assistance of city staff.
The process includes determining the exact location of the pothole, when the city was made aware of it, and what corrective action was taken.
Making a claim apparently doesn't pay off in most cases.
The city has not disclosed how many claims filed since last year have been successful, nor has it revealed how much it has paid in compensation.
But it said the majority of applications do not succeed "as the city has met its maintenance obligations."
According to the city, liability for damage caused by potholes is considered with reference to the Municipal Act and its associated regulations.
Depending on the speed limit and amount of traffic on a roadway, the legislation stipulates that repairs to holes that are deeper than 5 centimetres must be made within two days, seven days or 21 days of the city being made aware of the defect.
"Every situation is fact-specific which is why an investigation into the claim is required when a claim for damages is made," the city said.
Information about how to file a claim is available online.
City council members have received a lot of feedback from motorists about road conditions, and local auto repair shops reported a noticeable increase in damages to suspensions, steering mechanisms and wheels earlier this year.
Still, no Thunder Bay roads received enough nominations to make the top five list of worst roads in Northern Ontario released on Tuesday.
Top honours went to a street in Timmins, while the others on the list included three in Sudbury and one in North Bay.
