It's pothole season in Winnipeg, so slow down and listen for damage, auto shop owner advises

Winnipeg roads are no longer covered in snow and ice following last week's spring storm, but there's another danger lurking on city streets.

The annual "bump, bump, clunk" of potholes has returned. Winnipeggers and visitors alike are doing their best to avoid driving through the potholes.

"It's terrible!" said Isolina Harder. "I just go swerve around it as much as I can."

She lives in Charleswood, and pointed to Roblin Boulevard, as well as Portage and Corydon avenues, among the bumpiest roads she regularly drives on.

Harder says her vehicle has previously sustained damage as a result of potholes.

"[I] don't like it because sometimes you go on the side of the road, there's water and there's a big hole in there. Not good … because it ruins your car," she said.

Last year, Manitoba Public Insurance received 1,231 pothole damage claims in April and 1,633 more in May. There were also more than 1,200 combined claims in March and June 2022 last year.

In total, a record-high 5,394 potholes claims were made to MPI in 2022 — up sharply from the three previous years, none of which topped 1,000 claims.

The number of pothole claims in January and February of this year — 89 and 86, respectively — was higher than any January or February since 2019, but there were only 202 claims in March. As of Sunday, 91 claims have been made this month.

The City of Winnipeg says it's received 1,431 service requests for potholes since the start of March. Residents can also report potholes so they can be addressed by city crews.

"It's difficult to predict how many potholes we see on our streets during the winter because that all depends on the extent of the freeze thaw cycles, or temperature swings, we experience as well as how wet the roads get from melting snow," Julie Horbal Dooley of the city's public works department said in an email Tuesday.

Warning sounds of damage

The most common types of damage vehicles incur via potholes are related to suspension, shrouds, ball joints, rims and tires, according to Tony's Academy Auto Service co-owner Linda Cole.

"Most people notice damage by noises — some kind of suspension creaking or knocking when when driving. Sometimes when turning, you'll start to hear a knocking noise as well. That could be a suspension issue. Hearing a rotational 'boop, boop, boop, boop, boop' can also be something tire related," she said.

"Rim damage can also come across as a flat tire."

A shaking wheel can also indicate damage, Cole said.

"You drive your vehicle every day. If you notice it's doing something different, that could easily be a sign of damage."

Jackson Sia travels from Regina to Winnipeg annually around Easter. 

He believes some of the worst potholes in Winnipeg are along Inkster Boulevard.

"Every year it seems to be like during spring time, like really bad potholes," Sia said.

The pothole situation is worse this year in Regina than in 2022, according to Sia, but nothing like what he experiences driving in Winnipeg.

It's "not even close. Like Regina, there's potholes, but not like this. Sorry," he said before chuckling.

Sia has yet to sustain any pothole damage to his vehicle, and he attributes that to driving slowly and trying to avoid the curb lane and hidden potholes as much as possible.

Cole says the amount of vehicles in her shop that have sustained pothole damage is similar to last year, and the cost to fix the issue can range anywhere from $80 to approximately $2,000.

The more expensive the damage, the more likely people tend to call MPI and put in a claim. Cole recommends anyone who has a vehicle damaged from a pothole to call the insurer that day to get the claim process started. Pictures of the pothole also help. 

"I had a customer [Monday] tell me he hit a four-foot wide [hole]. He went back and measured because it was so extreme and I was like, 'that's not a pothole, that's a crater!'" Cole said.

"But that being said, until drivers slow down, keep extra distance, it's just going to be a continued issue."

That's the same message Manitoba Public Insurance has for drivers as they do their best to safely navigate potholes this spring: slow down and be alert on the road.

Potential pothole-related damage can vary, so each claim will be assessed once it has been reported, according to an email from an MPI spokesperson. But if a vehicle is damaged as a result of hitting a pothole, motorists can open a claim with MPI by calling 204-985-7000 or toll-free at 1-800-665-2410.