Where there is snowfall, construction and heavy traffic flow, there are bound to be some bumps in the road.
Sooke resident Nathan Hanson found this out the hard way, after simultaneously blowing both his driver’s side tires on a pothole near a construction site on Sooke Road. Hanson said he was following a line of traffic and was just before the 17 Mile Pub when he drove over the pothole.
“I felt the car lean to the front end, then pulled over to see the damage and when I got out, I heard the tires hissing,” said Hanson, adding that his car had to be towed and is being assessed for further damages.
He has filed a claim with the Ministry of Transportation and is hopeful they will cover the cost of repairs.
“It was a bit aggravating,” said Hanson. “But there are always potholes. They are unavoidable after a snowstorm, it tears the asphalt up.”
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Hanson shared photos of his tires on Facebook, and some other residents commented that they had also received damage to their vehicles along Sooke Road road and construction detour routes.
The Ministry of Transportation responded saying they have received calls regarding the road conditions after an excavator was in the area.
“Keeping our roads and highways safe and in good condition is a priority for the ministry. The ministry and our maintenance contractor regularly monitor road conditions to identify and address issues as they arise,” stated the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure in a response to Black Press Media.
“We’ve cleared up the road and determined that the road is in need of repair as is normal in spring.”
The ministry noted that the recent freeze-thaw cycles have resulted in multiple potholes along highways and side roads, but maintenance contractors are continuing to repair the roads.
“Some repairs are temporary until favourable weather permits a permanent repair in the spring when temperatures are warmer. As weather improves, annual patching will address any issues,” stated the ministry.
Construction on Sooke Road is motoring forward, as blasting operations have been ongoing near the 17 Mile Pub since the beginning of winter and will continue to expand across the entire site.
Soil removal is also ongoing along excavation areas of the new highway alignment, and utilities such as BC Hydro, Telus and Shaw are relocating cables and poles to accommodate the improvements, stated the ministry.
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Sooke resident Nathan Hanson popped both his driver’s side tires on a pothole near a construction site on Sooke Road. Hanson said he was following a line of traffic and was just before the 17 Mile Pub when he drove over the pothole. (Facebook photo/Nathan Hanson)
