“The asphalt plants are not open yet,” said Michael Cantor, manager of street maintenance for the City of Winnipeg. “ They’re waiting for the winter to end. There’s no really financial incentive to open those plants earlier for the amount that we’re using.”

But not all hope is lost.

University of Manitoba professor Ahmed Shalaby said it’s still possible for the city to have a relatively good pothole season.

“Optimistically we had a better than usual winter, milder temperatures less moisture we can expect better performance from our pavements,” he said.

Shalaby said, however, that it all depends on the weather in the coming weeks, saying too many freeze-thaw cycles will result in more potholes being formed.

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Ahmed Shalaby, a University of Manitoba engineering professor who specializes in pavement design and highway materials, says people should enjoy the weather for now.

“It’s been a beautiful couple of weeks, and quite unexpected,” he said Tuesday. “Of course, that comes with its own challenges.”

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