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

At Governor’s Direction, State DOT Took Unprecedented Steps To Fill Potholes and Pave State Highways

State DOT Crews Embarked on Most Ambitious Paving Program in New York’s History Throughout the Month of April

Governor Kathy Hochul 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 announced record 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.