Smoother, Safer Roads: Following Historic Winter, Governor Hochul Announces Launch of Unprecedented Effort to Fill Potholes and Repave Roads Across New York State

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced an unprecedented state effort to fill potholes and repave roads across New York State, following one of the coldest winters in recent memory. This month, State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) forces will conduct a statewide push to address potholes on state roads. In April, 215 crews will place more than 8,000 tons of asphalt to fill an anticipated 175,000 potholes statewide. Plans are in place to fill hundreds of thousands more as the weather permits over the months ahead.

"I know where each and every pothole is hiding on the state highway system, and I have bad news for these public nuisances: Your days are numbered," Governor Hochul said. "We've had an unforgiving winter this year in New York, and the frigid cold and heavy snowfall can take a toll on our roads. That's why we are stepping up with an unprecedented state effort to repave hundreds of miles of roadway and fill hundreds of thousands of potholes in the next few weeks alone. Our outstanding DOT and Thruway crews will not rest until every pothole in this state has been repaired."

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Our crews have worked tirelessly this winter keeping our roads clear for New Yorkers during a brutally cold, snow and ice-filled winter. Now, as the weather transitions, we are moving from fighting snow and ice to carrying out one of the most robust construction programs in recent memory - anchored by record infrastructure and paving investments from Governor Hochul. Our forces are ready to kick construction into high gear in the coming months, with thousands of miles of smoother rides ahead for people in every region of the state."

New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said, "The Thruway Authority is committed to investing in critical infrastructure projects across our 570-mile system, ensuring we keep our vital network modernized and reliable. With more than $1 billion in anticipated construction projects and a historic five-year capital plan that will resurface roughly 60 percent of our highway system, these investments are strengthening safety, reliability and the overall travel experience for millions of motorists. We thank Governor Hochul for her continued support and commitment to investing in infrastructure that keeps New York moving."

State Senator Jeremy Cooney said, "The colder the winter, the more work that lies ahead to keep our roads reliable and safe. I want to thank Governor Hochul for tackling potholes head-on, our road crews for their efforts to repair our roadways, and the entire team at NYSDOT for prioritizing the safety of drivers across New York. I'm especially pleased to see these projects will be starting in the coming weeks, especially those impacting my constituents here in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region."

Assemblymember William Magnarelli said, "Investing in pavement rehabilitation of our roadways ensures that they remain safe and sustainable for all users. Roads and infrastructure that are maintained and strengthened help encourage statewide commerce and travel. Here's to Governor Hochul for her continued commitment to providing and maintaining our transportation system in New York."

In addition, Governor Hochul highlighted that this week is the official start of paving season in New York, as NYSDOT crews commence the most ambitious year of road improvements in state history. Last October, the Governor announced record state investment to dozens of vital state roadways across New York State during the 2026 construction season. Leveraging the $800 million secured in the FY26 Executive Budget to augment the final two years of its five-year Capital Plan, NYSDOT will invest more than $600 million in more than 180 paving projects across the state to be completed in the upcoming paving season.

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.

"We are stepping up with an unprecedented state effort to repave hundreds of miles of roadway and fill hundreds of thousands of potholes in the next few weeks alone."

The Governor's announcement today comes as statewide asphalt plants come online, with paving season beginning in most regions of New York. On Long Island work will begin on a $58.8 million investment to improve its transportation network with new pavement, curb ramps, turning lanes and other features introduced to critical roadways, including the Northern State Parkway, Nassau Expressway, Veterans Memorial Highway, Hempstead Turnpike, Middle Country Road and Sunrise Highway's service roads.

These Long Island projects include:

• An $18.5 million project to repave 50 lane miles on the Northern State Parkway in Nassau and Suffolk Counties has begun. Resurfacing the parkway's eastbound direction will begin at the Wantagh State Parkway interchange (Exit 33) in the Village of Westbury and continue eastward to the New York Avenue overpass near Exit 40 in the Town of Huntington. The westbound lanes were completed last fall. When this section is completed in the summer, it will mark the final phase of a five-year effort to renew the parkway's riding surface with previous sections being completed in 2020, 2023, and 2024.
• A $13.8 million project to resurface approximately 36 lane miles of State Route 24 (Hempstead Turnpike/Fulton Avenue) and State Route 102 (Front Street) in and around the Village of Hempstead, which is one of the most densely populated areas of Long Island and is a major economic and transportation hub. Work is planned at the following locations: State Route 24 between Munson Avenue and North Franklin Street; State Route 24 between Hendrickson Avenue and the Meadowbrook State Parkway; and State Route 102 from William Street eastward to State Route 24.
• An $8.8 million pavement renewal project that's now getting started that will rehabilitate 27 lane miles of roadway and upgrade approximately 100 sidewalk ramps at the following locations: Nassau Expressway (State Route 878) between Burnside Avenue and the Atlantic Beach Bridge toll booth in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County; and Veterans Memorial Highway (State Route 454) between State Route 111 and the Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) North Service Road in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County.
• Construction is resuming on a $17.7 million project that began last fall to resurface 61 lane miles of pavement and upgrade more than 180 sidewalk ramps in Suffolk County along key sections of the Sunrise Highway (State Route 27) Service Roads and State Route 25. Last fall, pavement resurfacing was completed in both directions of the Sunrise Highway Service Roads between Manor Lane and Brentwood Road in the Town of Islip.

Major construction is scheduled for completion later this year at the following locations:

• State Route 25 (Middle Country Road) from State Route 25A to Splish Splash Drive in the Town of Riverhead.
• Sunrise Highway South Service Road from Montauk Highway (County Route 85) to Nicolls Road (County Route 97) in the Town of Islip.
• Sunrise Highway North Service Road from Nicolls Road (County Route 97) to Pond Road in the Town of Islip.

In Western New York, construction has begun on the second and final phase of a $5.1 million project to enhance safety and mobility along Harlem Road (State Route 240) in the Town of West Seneca, Erie County. The project includes the resurfacing of the roadway and the reconfiguring of lanes to include a center two-way left turn lane. It also calls for the installation of new curbs, drainage systems and sidewalks to enhance safety, resilience and mobility for all users.

As the weather continues to improve, hundreds more projects of all sizes will begin across New York.

Major paving projects slated to start in the coming weeks include:

Capital Region:

• 113 lane miles from Western Avenue to Exit 11 on the Adirondack Northway in Albany and Saratoga Counties.
• 23 lane miles on I-90 from Exit 1 (87 Split) to Exit 5A (Corp Woods Blvd)
• 2.4 lane miles on Route 385 in Athens

Mohawk Valley:

• 28 lane miles on I-88 from the Otsego County line to just east of Exit 20 in the town and village of Richmondville, Schoharie County.
• 23 lane miles on State Route 365 in Oneida County.
• 11.9 lane miles on State Route 167 from Route 5 to the Dolgeville Village Line.
• 3 lane miles on State Route 5 in Palatine Bridge.

Central New York:

• 28 lane miles on the Route 5 bypass from Old Route 5 to Route 695 in the Town of Camillus, Onondaga County.
• 5.9 lane miles on I-81 from the Syracuse City Line to Mattydale.
• 12.6 miles in the City of Ithaca on portions of Routes 13, 34, 96, 79 and 89.
• 2.5 lane miles on State Route 370 in Onondaga County.
• 20 lane miles on portions of I-81 and I-481 in Onondaga County.

Finger Lakes:

• 67 lane miles on I-490 from Exit 2 (Rt 33A) to Exit 6 (Rt 204) in the Towns of Gates, Chili, Riga, and Bergen, Monroe and Genesee Counties.
• 30.5 lane miles on State Route 104 between Ridgeway Avenue in the City of Rochester and Culver Road in the Town of Irondequoit.

Western New York:

• 28 lane miles on I-190 from Route 31 to Upper Mountain Road, and NY 951A (LaSalle Expressway) from I-190 to Williams Road, Niagara County.
• 27 lane miles on I-86 between Exit 29 (Friendship) and Exit 30 (Belmont) and the Friendship rest area in the towns of Friendship, Amity and Angelica, Allegany County.

North Country:

• 26 lane miles on State Route 37, from Waddington to Route 56, in the Towns of Waddington & Louisville, St. Lawrence County.

Mid-Hudson:

• 38 lane miles on Interstate 287, also known as the Cross Westchester Expressway, from Route 119 to Westchester Avenue interchange in the Towns of Greenburgh and Harrison, the Villages of Elmsford and Harrison, and City of White Plains in Westchester County.
• 6.5 lane miles on State Route 308 in the Towns of Rhinebeck and Milan and the Village of Rhinebeck.
• 3.6 lane miles of the Sprain Brook Parkway in the Towns of Greenburgh and Mount Pleasant and the Village of Elmsford, Westchester County.
• 1 lane mile of the Taconic State Parkway from the Sprain Brook Parkway to the Saw Mill River Parkway in the Town of Mount Pleasant, Westchester County

Southern Tier:

• 13 lane miles on State Route 268 from Lang Road to Route 10, in the towns of Hancock and Tompkins, Delaware County.
• 48 lane miles on I-81 in Broome County in the Towns of Dickinson, Chenango, and Barker.

Long Island:

• 35 lane miles on State Route 27 (Sunrise Highway) from Harrison Avenue to Wantagh State Parkway in the Town of Hempstead, Nassau County.

New York City:

• 11 lane miles at various locations along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and Cross Bronx Expressway in Bronx and Kings counties.
• 17.3 lane miles on the Korean War Veterans Parkway and West Shore Expressway in Staten Island

Priority locations for this week's pothole filling push include:

Capital Region:

• Central Ave/State Route 5 in Albany and Schenectady Counties
• "The Box" (787, 90, Northway, 7 area)
• State Route 443/Delaware Avenue

Central New York:

• State Route 298 in Lyncourt and Town of Salina
• US11 in town of Cicero and village of North Syracuse

Finger Lakes:

• State Route 19 from NY 31 to NY 104 in the Town of Sweden and the Village of Brockport
• State Route 18 from NY 237 to NY 259 in the towns of Hamlin and Parma

Southern Tier:

• I-86 in East Corning
• I-390 in Kanona

Western New York:

• State Route 990 and Millersport Road in the Town of Amherst
• Walden Avenue in the Town of Lancaster
• State Route 39 in the Town of Yorkshire
• US 219 in the Town of Ellicottville
• I-86 in the Towns of Sherman and North Harmony
• I-86 in the Towns of Ellicott and Poland
• US 20 in the Town of Westfield
• State Route 394 Village of Lakewood

North Country:

• State Route 11 in the Village of Malone
• State Route 11 from Gouverneur to the Jefferson County Line
• State Route 3 in the City of Watertown

Hudson Valley:

• Sprain Brook Parkway at I-287 Interchange in Westchester County
• Saw Mill River Parkway at various locations in Westchester County

Long Island:

• State Route 25 between State Route 347 and County Road 83 in Suffolk County

New York State Thruway Authority

The Thruway Authority's approved 2026 budget invests a total of more than $600 million in capital contracts scheduled to be awarded in 2026 and is one of the largest single-year investments in Thruway history. The 2026 budget includes a historic $2.8 billion Capital Plan for 2026-2030, which represents one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Thruway history, with more than $1.3 billion dedicated to paving, rehabilitation, and reconstruction projects and more than $835.6 million invested in bridge replacements and preservations across the state.

The five-year plan will fund the replacement or preservation of 150 of the Thruway's 819 bridges-about 18 percent-and the resurfacing of more than 1,500 of its 2,800 lane miles of highway, or roughly 60 percent.

For a list and interactive map detailing all completed, ongoing and future Thruway capital projects, go to thruway.ny.gov/oursystem.

Significant repaving projects now underway or scheduled to begin in the next month include:

• A pavement resurfacing project to 36 lane miles of I-90 in Erie County, between exit 49 (Depew - Lockport - NY Route 78) to west of exit 52 (52E & 52W in both directions) Buffalo - Cheektowaga - Walden Avenue).
• A pavement resurfacing project to 20 lane miles on the New England Thruway (I-95) in Westchester County from exit 18 (Mamaroneck - Fenimore Road to exit 20 (Rye - US Route 1 South).
• A pavement resurfacing project to 20 center lane miles of I-90 in Monroe and Ontario Counties between exit 42 (Geneva - Lyons - NY Route 14) and exit 44 (Canandaigua - Victor - NY Route 33).
• A pavement resurfacing project to 41 lane miles of I-87 in Ulster County, from north of exit 18 (New Paltz - Poughkeepsie - NY Route 299) to south of exit 19 (Kingston - NY Route 28 - Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge).
• A pavement resurfacing project on I-90 in Albany and Schenectady Counties, which includes the resurfacing of more than 36 total lane miles from exit 24 (Albany - Montreal - I-90 East - I-87 North) to west of exit 25 (Schenectady - I-890 - NY Routes 7 & 146).
• A pavement resurfacing project on I-90 in Madison County, which includes the repaving of more than 25 total lane miles between exit 34 (Canastota - Oneida - Chittenango - NY Route 13) to east of exit 34A (Syracuse - Chittenango - Oswego - I-481).
• A pavement resurfacing project to 11 lane miles on I-90 east of exit 49 (Depew - Lockport - NY Route 78) to east of exit 50 (Niagara Falls - I-290) in Erie County.

These efforts build on work done last year by Department of Transportation forces to fill more than 1.3 million potholes on state highways from Long Island to Buffalo and every area in between. From mid-February through April 1, 2026, Department of Transportation forces have already laid down more than 1,400 tons of asphalt on state roads across New York, filling more than 28,000 potholes during that period. Many areas of New York experienced some of the coldest winter seasons in recent memory, with the downstate region seeing its snowiest winter in at least a decade, contributing greatly to the freeze-thaw cycle that forms potholes on roads across New York State. Crews have been out for many weeks now, balancing continued snow and ice response efforts, which began in October, with pothole repairs as the weather has allowed them to do so.

Motorists are urged to call 1-800-POTHOLE (1-800-768-4653) to report potholes on any State-owned highway, including the Thruway, except in New York City, where motorists may report potholes by dialing 311. Potholes on county or town roads, city and village streets, or private roadways should be reported to the appropriate owner. Potholes are formed primarily due to infiltration of water into pavements through cracks in the surface. Cold weather causes the water to freeze, creating a bulge in the pavement. When the temperature warms above freezing, the pavement surface returns to its original level. Subsequent freeze-thaw cycles weaken the pavement material and a pothole forms. The process repeats itself during subsequent freeze-thaw cycles and potholes become worse and more numerous. Heavy traffic also contributes to the creation of new potholes and the worsening of existing ones.

Contact the Governor's Press Office