Thunder Bay Roads Crews Push Spring Cleanup After Snowy Winter and Wet April
THUNDER BAY — After a long snowy winter and a wet April, City of Thunder Bay roads crews are moving through the spring cleanup season, clearing sand, gravel and winter debris from streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and active transportation routes.
The work matters for drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and local businesses as the city shifts from winter control to spring maintenance.
Downtown Areas and Bike Routes Among Early Priorities
The downtown Waterfront District is expected to see streets and sidewalks cleared during the early morning hours Monday, while the Fort William BIA area is also high on the city’s cleanup priority list.
City crews have already started the 2026 street sweeping campaign, with early work focused on downtown core areas, bike lanes, arterial roads and collector streets before moving deeper into residential neighbourhoods.
The city says street sweeping removes winter sand, improves visibility of road markings, helps keep lanes safer for pedestrians and cyclists, reduces the risk of vehicle damage and keeps road sand out of rivers and lakes.
Spring Cleanup Follows Tough Road Season
Thunder Bay roads took a beating through the winter and early spring. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles, snowmelt and heavy April rainfall have contributed to potholes, broken pavement, gravel buildup and drainage problems in parts of the city.
The city says potholes form when water gets into cracks in the pavement, freezes, expands and then contracts as temperatures rise.
Over time, traffic breaks apart the weakened asphalt. Late winter and early spring typically bring more pothole activity because of melting snow, rainfall and temperature swings.
Cold Patch Now, Hot Mix Later
For now, many pothole repairs are being done with temporary cold patch asphalt. That is standard practice during the spring thaw, when roads are still wet and temperatures may not yet support more durable repairs.
More permanent hot mix asphalt repairs are expected once local asphalt plants reopen for the season. The city says roads staff patrol roadways, respond to reported issues as weather allows, and prioritize high-traffic areas and locations that raise safety concerns.
Bike Lanes and Sidewalks Part of the Safety Picture
The spring cleanup is not only about roads. Sand and gravel left behind from winter maintenance can create hazards for cyclists, pedestrians, wheelchair users and people pushing strollers.
Clearing bike lanes, sidewalks and multi-use routes supports Thunder Bay’s active transportation network and helps residents move more safely as warmer weather returns.
That is especially important in the Waterfront District, the south core and Fort William BIA areas, where sidewalks, bike routes, storefronts and commuter traffic overlap.
Residents Asked to Use Caution Around Crews
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are asked to slow down and give road crews room to work. Street sweepers, loaders, dump trucks and maintenance vehicles may be operating at slower speeds, especially in early morning periods or near parked vehicles.
Residents can check neighbourhood sweeping priorities and progress through the city’s roads page. Questions about street sweeping can be directed to City Infrastructure and Operations Dispatch at 807-625-2195.
Potholes can also be reported through the city’s pothole reporting system or by calling Dispatch.
Local Impact
For Thunder Bay, spring road cleanup is a practical quality-of-life issue. Clean streets improve drainage, reduce dust, protect local waterways and make commercial districts more inviting after winter. For downtown businesses and BIAs, the cleanup helps improve curb appeal as foot traffic increases through May. The work will take time, and weather can affect schedules. But after a hard winter and a wet April, the city’s roads crews are now visibly shifting into spring recovery mode.
