Potholes

Potholes, sinkholes, and asphalt damage can affect road safety and your daily commute. Learn how they form and what to do if you spot damage.

How to report a pothole

You can report a pothole in a few easy ways:

Complete the Report a Pothole form
Phone 905-356-1355
Email service@niagarafalls.ca

Note: Please include the exact location of the pothole (street name, nearest address or intersection). If you have a photo, you can upload it to help crews locate and assess the issue.

Report a pothole

Why are potholes worse in the spring?

Winter’s freeze-thaw cycle is the major cause:

Water seeps in: Cold weather creates cracks in the asphalt, letting water in
Freezing expands: The water freezes, expands, and pushes the pavement up
Melting collapses: When the ice melts, it leaves gaps beneath the pavement. Without support, the pavement breaks under vehicle weight.

More freeze-thaw cycles mean more potholes in the spring.

More about potholes

How we respond to potholes

The target response time is to triage the pothole within approximately 48 hours of reporting it. Pothole reports are entered into a work order management system and placed on a list distributed to crews for repair.   

Pothole repairs are scheduled following O.Reg 239/02 Minimum Maintenance Standards per road classification. You can find your road’s class using our Level of Service Locator. 

Class of Highway	Surface Area	Depth	Time
1	600 cm²	8 cm	4 days
2	800 cm²	8 cm	4 days
3	1000 cm²	8 cm	7 days
4	1000 cm²	8 cm	14 days
5	1000 cm²	8 cm	30 days

Potholes on non-city roads 

Not all roads within Niagara Falls's boundaries are owned or maintained by the city.

You can view and download street ownership information on our Open Data site: Niagara Falls Street Name and Ownership Index

The Ministry of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 400 series highways and the QEW, including on and off-ramps. To report a pothole, call 1-800-268-4686.
The Niagara Parks Commission (NPC) is responsible for maintaining its roads. To report a pothole on an NPC road, visit their website's contact page.
The Niagara Region is responsible for maintaining regional roads. For a complete list of those regional roads, visit the Niagara Region’s website. To report a pothole on a Regional road, call 905-980-6000 ext. 3690 (toll-free: 1-877-552-5579).

Reduced load limits

Weight requirements

Weight restrictions are in place to safeguard the integrity of roads, especially during the spring-thaw period, when they are more likely to be damaged.

Visit the Niagara Region’s website for information about reduced load restrictions on roads where you can only carry five tonnes per axle
Vehicles breaking the rules will face penalties under the Highway Traffic Act

Oversized or overweight load permits

If you are moving a vehicle, load, object, or structure that is bigger or heavier than the legal limits of the Highway Traffic Act in the City of Niagara Falls, you must apply for a permit. This permit helps ensure your load travels safely and doesn’t cause traffic problems or damage to roads.

Apply on the oversized or overweight load permits page.

Winter potholes

We use a cold patch product designed to remain workable during cold weather. The cold patch is largely considered a temporary repair; due to the weather in our colder months, this application cannot achieve a good bond between pavement and patch. Water can still find its way under the patch, which may create the same cycle of pothole development. More permanent repair materials are used during the summer months. 

Contact Us

City of Niagara Falls
4310 Queen Street
P.O. Box 1023
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5
Canada
905-356-7521
service@niagarafalls.ca