Montreal allocates $6M to fix potholes, pledges immediate repairs

The City of Montreal has announced a series of measures on Friday to address bad road conditions and “adopt a new approach to prevent future potholes.”

One of the proposals includes allocating $6 million to improve long-term pothole repair operations across the city.

• READ MORE: Pothole damage up nearly 50 per cent in Montreal: CAA

“This $6 million in funding is in addition to the $2.5 million transferred by the city to the boroughs last month to boost local budgets dedicated to pothole repair,” city officials note.

“Several boroughs, which still have a portion of this budget available, are actively continuing to fill potholes within their jurisdictions.”

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The money is also earmarked to purchase more equipment, including two new automated machines set to be put into service in 2027.

“Montrealers are fed up with driving on streets full of potholes,” said Claude Pinard, chair of Montreal’s executive committee.

“We’ll patch them up, but let’s be honest: patching doesn’t solve the problem in the long run... We’re continuing to take action right now on the ground all across Montreal in collaboration with the research community because what we want is simple: roads that last longer – and fewer potholes.”

Immediate repairs

Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada’s administration says it also has plans to immediately resurface 67 km of arterial road, including sections of:

• Papineau Avenue in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough,
• Louis-H. -La Fontaine in the Anjou borough,
• Sherbrooke Street East in the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough, and
• Pierre-Dupuy Avenue in the Ville-Marie borough.

“We’re taking action with a clear goal: to tangibly improve the condition of our roads, address the most problematic sections and ensure mobility and safety for all Montrealers,” said Alan DeSousa, head of mobility and infrastructure with the city’s Executive Committee.

• READ MORE: Montreal’s pothole problems have solutions — but city lacks money

”With targeted investments, including the rehabilitation of 67 km of roadways across the city, we’re giving ourselves the means to do things differently. We want to prevent rather than cure, and act sooner to provide a safer road network throughout Montreal.”

Notre-Dame Street

Additionally, the government has confirmed a $4.8 million investment to repair Notre-Dame Street East.

• READ MORE: Potholes in Montreal are ‘catastrophic,’ says mayor

Areas being examined include sections spanning:

• the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough boundary to Alphonse-D.-Roy Street;
• Davidson Street to Letourneux Avenue;
• Joffre Street to George-V Avenue.

“The winter we’ve just gone through has left clearly visible marks on our roadways,” said Chantal Gagnon, Mayor of Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve.

• READ MORE: Montreal’s potholes are here early: Here’s what to know

“We must act quickly. The measures announced today will allow us to take concrete action to improve road conditions and the safety of road users, here in our borough as well as throughout Montreal.”

Road maintenance

The municipal government adds that it is also creating two centres to deal specifically with road maintenance.

The government explains that each centre, set to begin operations in 2027, will have 12 blue-collar workers responsible for maintaining the city’s major thoroughfares.

• READ MORE: Montreal mayor has car towed hours after calling pothole situation ‘catastrophic’

“The goal of these centres is to reduce the city’s dependence on market conditions, provide greater predictability in road maintenance costs and avoid failed bids,” it states.

Plus, city officials insist that they are continuing “research and development” in collaboration with the École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS) and Bitume Québec to create asphalt materials better suited to Montreal’s climate.

“The goal is to reduce the premature appearance of potholes and improve pavement durability,” they argue.