Melting Snow, Ice Create Pothole Problems on Local Streets

Ten tons of asphalt.

That's what the Malverne Department of Public Works has used so far in the past few weeks to repair the pot holes that have popped up around the village this winter season.

"This is a lot," said Paul Jessup, head of the .

When the mounds of snow that had accumulated over December and January finally melted away, the water crept into the small cracks in the pavement, expanded as it froze and created gaping holes in roadways throughout Long Island.

The Town of Hempstead Highway Department has also been sending out crews to address the problem. They received 115 reports of pot holes in January alone.

Potholes in the area should be reported directly to the Highway Department at (516) 489-5000 or e-mailed to pothole@tohmail.org. Residents should provide the exact street address and the nearest cross street.

If the pot holes are found on major Nassau County roads, these should be reported to the Nassau County Department of Public Works. To do so, either call (516) 571-6900 or send a specific location to pothole_emergencies@nassaucountyny.gov

“The dedicated men and women of our Department of Public Works are working tirelessly to respond to calls for help with potholes,” County Executive Ed Mangano said. “This email address will streamline the response process and help DPW pinpoint problem areas more efficiently.”

Problems on New York State roadways, such as Hempstead Turnpike, can be reported by calling 1.800.POTHOLE, a 24/7 hot-line.

Judging from our drive around Malverne and West Hempstead Thursday afternoon, all municipalities seem to have been working hard over the past month to get the situation under control.

While we spotted several patches of fresh asphalt on virtually every block throughout the neighborhood, signs that crews had recently repaired pot holes, the few remaining problem areas were not severe.

According to the Town of Hempstead, these fill-in jobs are just a temporary fix.

The Town's Web site indicates, "During the winter months, the Highway Department will fill the potholes with temporary patch, until permanent repairs can be made the following spring."

The Town says there is no timetable as to when the potholes will be completely repaired. It is strictly "weather permitting."

"We're doing as much as we can with the equipment we have," Malverne DPW's Jessup said. "We're out every day fixing pot holes, trying to stay on top of it."

Jessup said his crews focused on the larger holes in the streets first, since these can cause serious damage to cars that drive over them. Village reidents are encouraged to report pot hole problems to the DPW by calling 516-599-1200.

"We're pretty much caught up with them," he said. "We have a few small ones out there, but nothing catastrophic."

The pot holes we did find were located on the following streets and can be viewed by clicking on the photo gallery to the top right.

• Adams Avenue in West Hempstead
• Woodfield Road in West Hempstead (near)
• Roosevelt Boulevard in West Hempstead
• Gold Place in Malverne
• Cornwell Avenue in Malverne
• Cambridge Street in Malverne
• Aberdeen Street in Malverne
• Wolf Avenue in Malverne

Have you spotted other potholes around Malverne and West Hempstead? Please submit photos to Tara.Conry@Patch.com and indicate where it is located by telling us the nearest intersection.