New interactive tool allows Montrealers to identify potholes – and warn others

Though no Montreal street made it onto CAA Quebec’s recent survey of the top-10 worst roads in the province, it’s safe to say pedestrians, motorists and cyclists encounter a fair share of potholes in the city.

The feeling when Montrealers accidently roll over or frantically swerve out of the way to avoid a pothole can be described as mutual resentment.

A web developing company in Montreal hopes to help by releasing an online-based tool that could potentially change the way people commute – while saving a few tires in the process.

An interactive pothole map of the City of Montreal named “Montreal Pothole Repairing Tool” is the creation of Spatial Media.

Report a Pothole #Montreal! https://t.co/h7lkLxgLMn#montreal #pothole #potholes #quebec #roads #destruction #corruption #enoughisenough #mtl #laval #share #cyclists #HaveYourSay pic.twitter.com/dN7r3C9u96

— Spatial Media (@SpatialMedia3D) June 8, 2022

With the help of crowdsourced reports, commuters can interactively photograph, localize, and confirm the status of existing potholes in Montreal.

Originally developed for cyclists, the website accommodates all commuters looking to find their way across the city with less hassle.

When Spatial Media expanded to Montreal, Aaron Bernard, the company’s creative and managing director for North America, noticed the high number of potholes scattered across the city.

That was motivation enough to start the project.

“Montreal is known for a couple of things, one was poutine, maybe a bagel here and there, but definitely potholes,” said Bernard.

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Bernard and projects and account manager Daniel Boari initially had cyclists in mind. But they feel the website can assist all commuters who are frequently out and about on the island.

“It’s tailored for everybody in Montreal,” Boari said. “Today you can take your car and tomorrow you can take a bike… The roads are the same, we’re all facing the same issue, so it doesn’t matter if you’re a cyclist or a driver, it’s for everyone’s safety.”

Screengrab of the “Montreal Pothole Repairing Tool” (Credit: Spatial Media)

A study released last year from the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) concluded that when compared nationally, Quebec suffers the worst road conditions.

Despite driving less than the national average, Quebecers are collectively spending upwards of $1.4 billion on their vehicles each year due to poor roads, ultimately spending on average $258 individually on car maintenance – double the national average.

Montreal plans on spending $135 million on roads and larger arteries in 2022.

With Spatial Media’s technology developed for community consultation and engagement, the tool was created as a facilitator of conversation between communities and forms of government.

Pothole in Montreal on June 15, 2022. (Credit: CityNews/Gabriel Guindi)

Though still relatively in its infancy, both Bernard and Boari believe their tool could help communities relay road status to elected city officials and members of government in a more efficient manner.

“Here’s what’s been collected, these are the stakeholders, these are your constituencies, your taxpayers in the area, here’s the issues they are facing,” said Bernard.

At its core, the project’s goal remains to protect commuters from encountering dangerous road conditions.

“Things like the night cycles, and those events that happen at nighttime, how are you supposed to know what’s there?” said Bernard. “That’s really what it’s about.”