War On Potholes: Tell Us The Worst Offenders In Your Neighborhood

LONG ISLAND, NY — It wouldn't be a trip out to the East End without some jaw-rattling, nerve-wracking, potentially tire-busting potholes to mark the journey on the Long Island Expressway.

Patch is kicking off a new series to help wage the war on potholes — and we want to hear from you. Where are the potholes in your neighborhood? How much have you spent on repairs after blowouts? What are the dangerous situations you've found yourself in because of cracked and broken roadways?

The pothole problem has grown in past months, according to motorists, elected officials, and automobile repair shops alike. The issue is so pervasive that Gov. Kathy Hochul, at a January Long Island Association "State of the Region" breakfast, addressed Long Island's potholes directly, specifically those found on the Long Island Expressway.

"I have a personal experience with every single pothole, especially on the LIE," Hochul said, mentioning that she had been sitting in a tire repair shop recently because of a blowout that cost about $500.

"We're coming after the potholes," she said. "Enough is enough."

Hochul said New Yorkers spend about $632 a year because of road damage done to their vehicles.

"Let's just come at this with a vengeance. We are going to go from 'Potholes to Not-Holes,'" Hochul said, adding that she was putting $1 billion behind the effort to pave roadways statewide.

On Long Island, specific areas that need targeting included pavement along Northern Boulevard, the Oakdale merge in Suffolk County, and the Long Island Expressway, Hochul said.

What causes a pothole, anyway? Patch spoke to the New York State Department of Transportation about the plethora of potholes popping up across Long Island.

According to the NYSDOT, potholes are formed primarily due to infiltration of water into pavements through cracks in the surface. Cold weather causes the water to freeze, creating a bulge in the pavement. When the temperature warms above freezing, the pavement surface returns to its original level. Subsequent freeze-thaw cycles weaken the pavement material and a pothole forms. The process repeats itself during subsequent freeze-thaw cycles and potholes become worse and more numerous. Heavy traffic also contributes to the creation of new potholes and the worsening of existing ones.

Stephen Canzoneri, spokesman for the NYSDOT, said workers have been out in recent days on westbound Sunrise Highway near Connetquot Avenue repairing damage.

"Long Island’s state highways are some of the heaviest traveled roads in the country and recent weather events have exaggerated pothole conditions," Canzoneri said. "NYSDOT maintenance crews are working around the clock to address potholes as they develop. The safety of the traveling public is always our top priority."

Motorists are urged to call 1-800-POTHOLE, 1-800-768-4653, to report potholes on any state-owned highway, including the Thruway, except in New York City, where motorists can report potholes by dialing 311.

Potholes on county or town roads, city and village streets, or private roadways should be reported to the appropriate owner.

And Patch wants to hear from you. If you want to share your pothole story, warn your neighbors of where the worst offenders are located, and describe how much you've had to pay for repairs, email Lisa.Finn@patch.com.