City of Buffalo, Erie County launch joint hot patching initiative to improve Buffalo streets

Submitted by the City of Buffalo Office of the Mayor

Mayor Sean Ryan announced the beginning of a new partnership between the City of Buffalo and Erie County to expand pothole repair efforts using hot patching to provide a more durable, longer-lasting method of fixing roadways than the cold patching traditionally done by the city. 

The initiative leverages a strong working relationship between the City of Buffalo and Erie County, with Erie County’s Harlem District providing specialized equipment and experienced staff to train a team of workers from the City of Buffalo’s Engineering Division. 

“The City of Buffalo has been stuck in a cycle of temporary fixes for years, and nowhere is it more visible than our roads and potholes,” Ryan said. “This partnership with Erie County allows us to bring in the right equipment, train our workforce, and finally start fixing potholes the right way.” 

Beginning today, joint city-county crews will deploy hot asphalt to repair potholes across Buffalo, with plans to operate one to two days per week while the city builds capacity to complete hot patching by itself. The City of Buffalo will supply the materials for the repairs. 

“Partnerships in government are important,” Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz said. “We are more than happy for the Erie County Department of Public Works to provide knowledge and insight to their colleagues with the City of Buffalo DPW on the best practices for pothole repair. I applaud Mayor Ryan and his team for their commitment to reinvesting, upgrading and improving how they deliver basic services to city residents and others who visit Buffalo.” 

This effort is part of a broader strategy to reinvest in Buffalo’s Department of Public Works, modernize operations, and fix the basics for Buffalo residents. The city is also exploring the purchase of its own hot patching equipment, including an asphalt recycler to further expand capacity in the future. 

During this partnership, hot patching will be reserved for potholes with larger surface areas or those requiring more durable repairs, while smaller or temporary fixes may still be addressed with traditional cold patching methods. This targeted approach allows crews to maximize impact while improving long-term road conditions. 

The city is also improving how pothole repairs are tracked and reported. Moving forward, 311 service requests will only be closed after confirmation that a pothole has been filled, ensuring greater accountability and more accurate reporting for residents. Buffalo residents are encouraged to continue reporting potholes through 311. 

Additionally, the city’s new partnership with CYVL will help identify potholes across Buffalo using advanced mapping technology, supporting a more proactive and data-driven approach to road maintenance and future paving lists.