Road crews in Gatineau, Que., will take a more proactive approach to a perennial problem this spring.

Instead of just fixing potholes reported to 311, crews will fix any additional problem spots they see out on a job to avoid having to return to the same area.

Denis Savard, president of the union syndicat des cols bleus de la Ville de Gatineau is happy with the more proactive approach — he said it's what workers wanted.

"Crews working in the field told their managers it was nonsense to go and fix a pothole, then leave to go fix another pothole [then] come back to the same place [later]," Savard said in a French interview.

"We weren't productive."

Since January 13,052 holes have been repaired on Gatineau roads, compared to 8,161 last year over the same period.

The number of requests for pothole fixes is also up this year compared to last year.

More than 1,968 requests have been made to 311 since the start of the year. Last year the total was 1,818 on the same date.

Other factors

Gatineau has invested in four new trucks that hold hot asphalt to fix potholes and do other street work.

That means a total of 13 crews will be working to maintain roads, including filling potholes when possible.

Better weather is also being cited.

"We have more teams in the field currently dedicated to potholes since there are fewer snow removal and blowing operations [they need to focus on] compared to last year," said Cédric Tessier, city councillor for Hull-Wright.

"It is possible that next week [for example] there will be a snowstorm, our teams must be directed to snow removal and there will still be blowing operations for the next few weeks."