Middle Country Road Between Route 347 And CR 83 Part Of 'This Week's Pothole-Filling Push': Hochul

BROOKHAVEN TOWN, NY — Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday that Middle Country Road between State Route 347 and County Road 83 in Brookhaven Town is part of this week's pothole-filling push in targeted priority areas across the state.

The stretch of roadway has been a source of consternation for local residents, who, in turn, have called for work to be undertaken due to concerns about safety.

The filling project effort is part of "an unprecedented effort" to fill potholes and repave roads across the State, after one of the coldest winters in recent memory, Hochul said.

This month, state's Department of Transportation forces will conduct "a statewide push to address potholes" on state roads, according to Hochul.

In April, 215 crews will place more than 8,000 tons of asphalt to fill an anticipated 175,000 potholes statewide, and plans are in place to fill hundreds of thousands more as the weather permits over the months ahead.

Hochul said she knows "where each and every pothole is hiding on the state highway system," and has "bad news for these public nuisances," adding, "Your days are numbered."

“We’ve had an unforgiving winter this year in New York, and the frigid cold and heavy snowfall can take a toll on our roads," she said. "That’s why we are stepping up with an unprecedented state effort to repave hundreds of miles of roadway and fill hundreds of thousands of potholes in the next few weeks alone. Our outstanding DOT and Thruway crews will not rest until every pothole in this state has been repaired.”

DOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Our crews have worked tirelessly this winter keeping our roads clear for New Yorkers during a brutally cold, snow and ice-filled winter."

"Now, as the weather transitions, we are moving from fighting snow and ice to carrying out one of the most robust construction programs in recent memory - anchored by record infrastructure and paving investments from Governor Hochul," she added. "Our forces are ready to kick construction into high gear in the coming months, with thousands of miles of smoother rides ahead for people in every region of the state.”

Last month, Sen. Dean Murray’s office announced that after many months of discussions with the DOT's Region 10 officials, an agreement was reached to expedite the NY25 Asphalt Pavement Resurfacing NY347 to Adirondack Drive project.

The DOT agreed to put the project into the five-year Highway/Bridge plan, and as the road conditions continued to deteriorate this winter, Murray and his colleague in the Assembly, Assemb. Doug Smith, “ramped up” discussions with the region’s director, Richard Causin, who agreed to move the project up by two years to start in 2028, according to Murray.

As this year's harsh weather caused even more damage to the roads, they continued to work with Causin, urging him to start the project as soon as possible, and the urgency was recognized, Murray said.

Causin also agreed to spend around $300,000, under an existing where and when contract, to use a contractor that will fill potholes and perform maintenance duties on five particularly bad portions of Middle Country Road, between Route 347 and Adirondack Drive, according to Murray.

Those areas include portions of Middle Country between Adirondack Drive and Dare Road, between North Evergreen to Boyle Road, and between Highview Lane to Marshall Drive.

Middle Country Road between Crown Acres to Hammond Lane and CR97 to Paula Avenue are also included.

The remaining areas that are not being handled by the contractor, will be maintained and handled in-house by DOT personnel.

Murray says the bidding process for the resurfacing project will begin in December of 2026, which will result in the winning bidder maintaining the roadway over the course of next winter while also allowing them to start some of the non-paving prep work early.

The actual paving work will begin in conjunction with the start of the paving season in the late Spring of 2027, he said.