Mayor Gets Hands Dirty For Maspeth Fix
Taking matters into his own hands, Mayor Bill de Blasio fixed a Maspeth pothole as part of the citywide street maintenance blitz he announced last Thursday, Feb. 20.
With Department of Transportation (DOT) crew members assisting, de Blasio filled a crater at the corner of 69th Lane and 60th Avenue, then held a press conference regarding the city’s program to quickly combat the most noticeable damage caused by winter’s cold and snow.
“All the storms, tire chains and snowplows have added up to unprecedented wear-and-tear on our streets,” de Blasio said, noting that the DOT’s Roadways Division repaired a record-breaking 113,131 potholes across the five boroughs as of that morning.
“The DOT has already made history with its efforts so far this year, and in the coming months, it will go above and beyond to keep our streets in good repair,” the mayor added.
“I want to thank the dedicated men and women of DOT’s Roadways Division who have worked tirelessly this winter in harsh conditions to tackle the toughest roads in the city and keep motorists moving safely on our streets,” added DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “This pothole and roadway maintenance plan will give them the tools and resources they need to get the job done.”
Joining de Blasio and Trottenberg at the announcement were City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley and Assemblywoman Margaret Markey.
De Blasio stated the city would provide the DOT $7.3 million to expand its road repair effort. This includes weekend pothole blitzes beginning in March, in which 50 crews will be dispatched across the five boroughs to fill craters on city streets. He indicated this program will continue in the years to come.
Typically, the agency has 30 daily pothole crews on hand, with each team using three tons of asphalt. During the weekend pothole blitzes, the crews will each carry six tons of asphalt, thus enabling them to double their efforts.
Other aspects of the enhanced DOT maintenance program include the following:
– a winter-weather repaving program in which the DOT will strategically resurface up to 90,000 sq. yds. of the city’s most badlydamaged streets;
– the production of new road surface asphalt which can be paved during cold winters;
– an engineering competition among the city’s top schools in which students will examine asphalt and determine how to make it more durable and resistant to bad weather;
– providing DOT crews with 21stcentury technology, such as tablet computers, to reduce paperwork, improve efficiency and report progress in real-time; and
– the DOT and the Sanitation Department will review saltspreading and plow activities to determine ways to keep streets clear of snow and ice without causing major damage to roadways.
Drivers and pedestrians who see potholes on city streets are urged to report them to 311 or to “The Daily Pothole” on the DOT’s website, www.nyc.gov/dot.
