State road crews have filled 95,000 potholes in the Finger Lakes this year as New York’s statewide repair total topped 1 million.
Maintenance workers and contractors have used more than 39,500 tons of asphalt for the repairs, according to an announcement Thursday from Gov. Kathy Hochul. The effort follows an April push that filled more than 250,000 potholes that month alone.
Hochul joined a Department of Transportation maintenance crew near the Meadowbrook Parkway in Hempstead on Long Island last weekend to mark the millionth repair.
“Last winter took a heavy toll on our roads, but it was no match for the dedication and professionalism of our highway crews,” Hochul said.
Repairs across New York
The state reported 52,000 repairs in Central New York, 121,000 in the Southern Tier and another 42,000 in the Western Southern Tier. Its regional breakdown lists those two Southern Tier areas separately.
The North Country accounted for 178,000 repairs, followed by Long Island with 156,000 and the Hudson Valley with 150,000. Crews also filled 88,000 potholes in Western New York, 75,000 in the Capital Region and 43,000 in the Mohawk Valley.
DOT said its maintenance teams shifted to repairs after the snow stopped falling, with crews often working alongside high-speed traffic.
More than $600 million for paving
The repair campaign accompanies a larger resurfacing program. The fiscal 2026 state budget provided $800 million to supplement the final two years of DOT’s five-year capital plan.
Using that funding, DOT invested more than $600 million in more than 180 paving projects slated for completion during this paving season. Those projects cover nearly 2,150 lane miles in addition to work already scheduled through the department’s core programs.
Together, the initiatives total more than 4,000 lane miles of renewed pavement in what the state describes as DOT’s largest annual resurfacing program. Routes in the program include Interstate 490, Interstate 81, Interstate 86, the Adirondack Northway, Northern State Parkway and Cross Westchester Expressway.
How to report a pothole
Outside New York City, drivers can report potholes on state-owned highways, including the Thruway, by calling 1-800-POTHOLE, or 1-800-768-4653. New York City uses 311. Damage on county and town roads, city and village streets, and private roads should be reported to the roadway’s owner.
Potholes form when water seeps into pavement cracks and freezes, pushing the surface upward. As temperatures rise, the surface settles again. Repeated freezing and thawing weakens the pavement until a hole forms, and heavy traffic can create or worsen the damage.
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