War on Potholes: Governor Hochul Announces State DOT Has Filled More Than 250,000 Potholes During April, Beating Initial Goal by 75,000

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the 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," Governor 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 during the month of April.

This unprecedented 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 January 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 announcedrecord state investment to dozens of vital state roadways across New York State 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 across the state. 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.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Thanks to an unprecedented infusion of capital provided by Governor 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."

The New York State Department of Transportation operates a year-round, toll-free hot line 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 hours a day, seven days a week. 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.

About the Department of Transportation

It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment and supports the economic well-being of New York State.

Lives are on the line; slow down and move over for highway workers!

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