**** HRM Media Release
Potholes and Sinkholes
Potholes are formed when water seeps through existing cracks and freezes and expands. When that water melts, it leaves a gap in the asphalt. Potholes can happen at any time of year but tend to worsen more rapidly due to the fluctuating temperatures during wintertime.
Sinkholes are different from potholes and are caused by erosion underneath the asphalt. When you look into the hole and cannot see any pavement, it could be a sink hole.
Repair priorities and timelines
Road operations crews identify and log potholes all year. We rely heavily on residents to report any problematic potholes they see by calling 311 or reporting a pothole online, so we can log them into our system for repair.
The municipality uses two main strategies for repairing potholes – Cold Patch is used for temporary fixes (typically in winter), and Hot Asphalt is used for permanent fixes. Read more about our about or pothole repair strategies. The municipality further prioritizes potholes based on width and depth, and Priority 1 potholes are addressed before all others. This means some potholes on streets will be fixed before others to ensure the more serious potholes are addressed as soon as possible .
For information on roads maintained by the province, including 100 series highways, please see call 511 . Not sure if your road is maintained by the province or the municipality? Search your address on our interactive map.
| Priority 1 potholes
Potholes that are at least 25 centimeters in diameter and 8 centimeters in depth. |
Arterial: 7 business days
Major collector: 7 business days Minor collector: 14 business days Local: 30 business days |
| Priority 2 potholes
All those smaller than Priority 1 potholes. |
12 months or as soon as resources permit |
Report a pothole or sinkhole in the HRM
To report a pothole or sinkhole on a municipally-owned street or sidewalk call 311 or use the form below.
To report potholes on provincially managed roads and 100 series highways please call 511
