Hochul's war on potholes: NYSDOT filled more than 250,000 potholes in April, beating initial goal by 75,000

Submitted by the Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) was out in force throughout the month of April, patching potholes and laying new asphalt to rejuvenate state roads across New York. This unprecedented push resulted in more than 250,000 potholes filled, smashing the goal of 175,000 announced by the governor in early April.

“Smoother roads improve the quality of life for millions of New Yorkers, and with a long winter now firmly in the rearview mirror, DOT crews have been addressing the scourge of potholes on our state highway system with an unprecedented intensity,” Hochul said. “Paving projects are underway in every region of the state, and state crews will be out in force rejuvenating one of the largest state highway systems in the entire nation. Whether we are filling potholes or repaving roads, make no mistake: If you are a pothole, your days are numbered.”

Following one of the coldest winters in recent memory, the governor announced last month that NYSDOT crews would be rolling out across the state to address the pervasive potholes that were left behind when the snow and ice melted. More than 215 NYSDOT crews were deployed in an unprecedented effort to repair potholes and upgrade roadways. Combined with repaving, these crews laid more than 120,000 tons of asphalt on state roadways in April.

This pothole repair campaign was supported by historic levels of public engagement. New Yorkers helped pinpoint where crews should be deployed by reaching out directly to NYSDOT. From Jan. 1 through April 15, calls to the state’s pothole hotline (1-800-POTHOLE) more than doubled – from 2,263 in 2025 to 5,322 in 2026.

Last October, the governor announced record state investment to dozens of vital state roadways across New York during the 2026 construction season. Funded by its five-year capital plan, NYSDOT will invest more than $600 million in more than 180 paving projects. These projects, which total almost 2,150 lane miles, are in addition to the paving initiatives already scheduled as part of NYSDOT’s core programs and, taken together, represent the most ambitious annual road resurfacing program conducted in state history, totaling more than 4,000 lane miles of renewed pavement to give New York drivers a smoother, safer ride.

NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Thanks to an unprecedented infusion of capital provided by Gov. Hochul, the Department of Transportation is now embarking on the largest, most ambitious paving program in the history of our department. Our dedicated team is hard at work revitalizing thousands of miles along the state highway system, in the process saying a permanent goodbye to hundreds of thousands of potholes and saying ‘hello’ to a smoother ride for millions of travelers across the Empire State. I thank our New York State DOT team for their hard work over the last month — we are already seeing the results of their efforts with more than 250,000 potholes filled. We will keep at it, completing the ambitious mission to pave and improve more than 4,000 lane miles by the end of this year.”

NYSDOT operates a year-round, toll-free hotline at 1-800-POTHOLE (1-800-768-4653) to report potholes on the state's highway systems, including the New York State Thruway. The line is available 24/7. All calls will be routed to the appropriate NYSDOT region or Thruway personnel for action. In New York City, potholes can be reported by calling 311. Potholes on county, town, city, village or private roads should be reported to the appropriate local owner.