NY Assemblyman Calls For Pothole Website As Crews Race To Fix Pockmarked Roads
NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) -- State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti, of Westchester County, has called on the state Department of Transportation to shift pothole repairs into emergency mode.
"I personally have lost two tires on state roads," Abinanti told WCBS 880's Jim Smith.
NY Assemblyman Calls For Pothole Website As Crews Race To Fix Pockmarked Roads
The assemblyman said potholes have become a health and safety issue, with cars dodging, weaving and slamming on the brakes.
"We're now to the point where we have so many potholes that it's really dangerous out there," Abinanti said. "Some of our roads look more like a moonscape."
The lawmaker also wants an interactive website to report and monitor the repair status of potholes. The proposed website would also give users a heads up on where major potholes are located, Smith reported.
"We're in the modern age. Having an 800 number is no longer sufficient," Abinanti said.
Dozens of crews were out in force on Saturday, working to fix thousands of potholes throughout the New York City.
Dodging the bumps and dips has been a tricky feat for drivers this winter, CBS 2's Janelle Burrell reported.
"A whole bunch of them have popped up all of a sudden in the past week or two," Edwin Miranda said.
Snow, ice, and frequent weather changes have made the problem even worse and crews have struggled to keep up with the fixes.
So far this year, the city DOT has patched more than 117,000 potholes but salt used during winter storms has eaten away at repairs and a more permanent mix of asphalt is not readily available during the winter.
"You have to take it slow because if you go over them too fast you get in a situation where you can bottom out," Gloria Cappellini said.
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