Mayor Eric Adams and DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the filling of NYC’s 500,000th pothole under the current administration, marking a significant achievement in improving road safety. Thanks to a strong investment in regular street repaving, pothole complaints are being resolved in under 2 days—more than twice as fast as previous administrations. With nearly 1,200 miles of road repaved annually, the Adams administration has successfully reduced the formation of potholes, saving taxpayers money and improving city infrastructure.
“When hard-working New Yorkers pay their taxes, they expect their government to deliver for them,” said Mayor Adams. “And whether it’s generational projects like Willets Point or the Brooklyn Marine Terminal, or the fundamentals like picking up the trash and filling potholes, we’re doing all that, better than ever. We’re filling potholes more than twice as fast as the average time of the two previous administrations combined — and thanks to our commitment to paving, there are significantly fewer potholes forming in the first place. However, cold weather potholes do sometimes happen. That is why we are so grateful to the crews working hard to make sure they get filled fast. If you see them out in the field, give them room to do their important work.”
“When a driver or cyclist hits a pothole, it is not only a cause for frustration, but it can also be a safety hazard,” said DOT Commissioner Rodriguez. “I am proud that pothole requests are on the decline thanks to smart investments we have made in better and more regular paving. Mayor Adams has given our incredible roadways crews the necessary resources to keep our roadways much smoother and safer.”
Potholes are generally caused by water and rock salt seeping into asphalt and are worsened during New York City winters by several factors, including high traffic, ice, snow, and other precipitation. Freeze-and-thaw weather patterns can further exacerbate these conditions, increasing the likelihood of potholes. During pothole season — which generally runs from December through June — DOT dispatches 25 to 75 separate pothole crews daily. The crews work in all five boroughs, responding to 311 complaints and requests from local stakeholders.
DOT produces asphalt at its two plants for both resurfacing roads and filling potholes. While the average pothole uses only a few pounds of asphalt, a completely repaved lane-mile uses 1,000 tons. This fall, DOT announced that it is testing a new asphalt mix containing 50 percent recycled pavement. The new mix will reduce fossil fuel use, save money, and cut down on the amount of used roadway pavement sent to landfills. Nationally, most asphalt mixes are made of 20 percent recycled materials.
New Yorkers who see potholes are urged to report them to 311 or online.
“Today we make historic progress in tackling our city’s potholes. We have filled half a million potholes in half the time it used to take, and through proactive paving of 1,200 miles of lanes we cut in half the number of potholes needing filling,” said New York State Assemblymember Jenifer Rajkumar. “This is a testament to Mayor Adams’ and Commissioner Rodriguez’s commitment to addressing all of New Yorkers’ quality of life concerns. Filling potholes is also a sound fiscal investment that pays dividends: the average motorist will save $880 dollars per year in repairs, putting more money in their pockets to pay for necessities, and the city will save up to $23 million per year in settlements for damaged vehicles and pedestrian injuries. Through this work, we are paving the way for road safety for everyone.”
January 29, 2025 New York City Hall
Sources: NYC.gov , Midtown Tribune ,
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