THE SLOW THAW IS REVEALING THE EXTENT OF THIS WINTER'S DAMAGE TO THE ROADS.

ONE POTHOLE AFTER ANOTHER.

"ASPHALT ROAD AND CONCRETE SIDEWALKS"

THE CITY IS ROLLING OUT ITS PLAN TO REBUILD AND RESURFACE SOME ROADS THIS SPRING, ESPECIALLY IN THE FRACTURED DOWNTOWN CORE.

BUT IT CAN'T AND WON'T GET TO ALL OF THEM THIS YEAR.

THAT INCLUDES LOWER BROCK STREET.... DESCRIBED AS A SUSPENSION REPAIR WAITING TO HAPPEN.

MARK CAMPBELL/ CONSTRUCTION MANAGER

"PROBABLY BROCK STREET HAS BEEN CAPTURING A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM OUR OPERATIONS CREWS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC""

"WINTER HAS BEEN VERY TOUGH ON THE ROADS. THERE'S A LOT OF POTHOLES SHOWING THEMSELVES THAT WOULD TRADITIONALLY NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN A TYPICAL WINTER."

THE STRATEGY FOR BROCK STREET, LIKE MANY OTHERS, IS TO PATCH IT NOW, REPAIR IT LATER.

THE CITY HAS A 3-YEAR ROAD REPAIR PROGRAM... WITH FLEXIBILITY TO PUT SOME ROADS HIGHER ON THE PRIORITY REPAIR LIST... DEPENDING ON THEIR CONDITION.

MARK CAMPBELL:

"WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO THIS SPRING WITH OUR OPERATIONS FORCES WHO DO SNOWPLOW AND MAINTENANCE ON THE STREETS.

WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THEM AND IDENTIFY THE CRITICAL AREAS WHERE THEY JUST CAN'T MANAGE IT BY MAINTAINING IT."

THERE ARE SEVERAL ROADS ON THE TO-DO LIST FOR THIS YEAR, LIKE CLERGY STREET.

IT WILL BE COMPLETELY RIPPED UP BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER FOR UNDERGROUND ELECTRICAL, WATER AND SEWER WORK... BEFORE FRESH PAVEMENT IS PUT ON TOP.

BUT FOLLOWING THIS MEETING, STAFF WILL REVISIT A CONTROVERSIAL PLAN TO REPLACE PARALLEL PARKING WITH ANGLED SPACES.

SOME RESIDENTS COMPLAINED THEY DON'T WANT TO ADD MORE PARKING ON CLERGY STREET.

DEANNA GREEN/TRAFFIC ENGINEER:

"I THINK WHAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER ON CLERGY STREET IS HOW BADLY THOSE 46 PARKING STALLS ARE NEEDED.

CERTAINLY IF WE ELIMINATE THE ANGLED PARKING WE CAN ONLY HAVE PARKING ON ONE SIDE OF THE STREET, IT WOULD BE PARALLEL PARKING BUT WE WOULD BE LOOKING AT A REDUCED NUMBER OF PARKING STALLS"

OUR RECENT STORY ON A NEW FORM OF ASPHALT BINDING MATERIAL ALSO CAUGHT THE INTEREST OF COUNCILLORS... WHO WANT ROADS STAFF TO CONSULT WITH THIS QUEEN'S CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR.

HE HAS DESIGNED A TOUGHER MATERIAL THAT, HE SAYS, WILL GREATLY EXTEND THE LIFESPAN OF ROADS.

BUT IT WON'T BE USED IN THE ROADS MIX THIS YEAR.... LEAVING CITY CREWS TO DO IT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY

FOR THE MAJORITY OF KINGSTON'S CRATER-RIDDLED STREETS... THAT MEANS PATCH IT UP, AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT POTHOLE.... LEAVING MOTORISTS TO MOST OF THE REPAIRS THEMSELVES, WITH THE HELP OF A MECHANIC.