THUNDER BAY -- City council will debate taking the final step in purchasing a $360,000 pothole-fixing machine at its meeting on Apr. 3.
The Python 5000 Pothole Patcher uses hot asphalt rather than the traditional cold-patching system to fill holes in pavement.
Its cost of is included in the city's 2017 budget but the Regina-based company is the only one that produces a machine like it. Council hence needs to vote on the purchase through a single source contract rather than its mandated policy of requesting competitive tenders.
The pothole patcher held a September demonstration in Thunder Bay, after which many councilors were encouraged to purchase the machine.
"We've been having three to four freeze-thaw events during the winter," said Coun. Frank Pullia.
"It's not like 10 or 20 years ago when you only had one in the spring. Our roads are taking a beating. Potholes are coming up in the middle of winter and right now, we could use that machine."
Pullia added the city is spending $10 million annually on roads and the infrastructure is decaying faster than city workers can keep up. Where roads were once expected to last through a 15-year life cycle, he said the same road today is crumbling after seven or eight years.
The Python 5000 can not only fill potholes but also fill cracks, like those developing on sections of Memorial Avenue Pullia said were paved only four years ago.
"We're spending $10 million a year on roads. We can't keep up. We could spend a lot more. Why don't we invest in making the roads last longer? That's where the savings will be."
All six city crews of three workers each are filling potholes across the city this week. Pullia not only believes the Python 5000 wouldn't replace city workers but he also committed to moving the city buy a second machine in the 2018 budget, should the first prove effective when it arrives this fall.
"That machine could be fixing more roads without displacing anybody. We'd still be busy. Actually, I think we need two of those machines -- one in the north, one in the south -- still without losing jobs."
