SULLIVAN COUNTY- It’s pothole season in New York and drivers traveling the region’s roadways know about them all too well. Route 17 in Sullivan and Orange Counties is no exception and State Department of Transportation (DOT) workers have been busy preparing to undertake the annual Spring task of repairing the roadways.
Lance MacMillan, the Regional DOT Director, says that several factors contribute to the pothole problem.
“First and foremost we do potholes year round and they pop up for a variety of reasons. Typically this time of the year we see that oscillation above and below the freezing point on the roadway causing problems as moisture gets into the roadway and then freezes overnight, it sometimes pops the potholes out,” said MacMillan. “Our staff are out 365 days a year addressing what we can.”
Putting a patch on top of a patch is not the ideal roadway repair procedure, however, repaving all of the lanes is not possible due to the high cost.
“The reality is we pave a lot each year but there are always segments we can’t get to with what we’re allocated and so those get patched,” MacMillan said. “Patches on patches make for rough ride quality and I’d love to be able to repave them all but it’s just not in the cards to do it every year.”
DOT officials remind motorists to report potholes by calling 1-800-POTHOLE.
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