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New York: The Big Apple, Gotham, And Now "Pothole City"
By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 7, 2011
Modified Feb 7, 2011
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By
Jaya Saxena
Published Feb 7, 2011
Modified Feb 7, 2011
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This winter hasn't been kind to New York. Cars were broken as owners attempted to rescue them from an icy death. Train cars have been sent out of commission. And now the city's roads are becoming undriveable. The DOT has had to fill more than 45,000 potholes, cave ins and the like (know your street defects!) since the first storm hit in December. One tow truck driver told the Times, “New York is Pothole City right now. Everyone is driving through an obstacle course. These streets will take your car away in a heartbeat."
City Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan was out in Queens fixing potholes on Friday for a photo op to show her department's commitment to filling up the streets. She told NY1, "The severity of the storms and the amount of snow that’s been dropped on our streets, it’s tough. And then we have the freeze-thaw cycles that go along with it, so it’s been a very difficult season for our streets." The DOT has also been the subject of some criticism lately, from Marty Markowitz suggesting that they're spending too much time worrying about bike lanes, and Bloomberg saying, "I don't think we've done a very good job at explaining and planning and dialoguing." And Bloomberg is a man who knows his potholes (and how to not explain things).
Last month, 311 got 1,781 calls about potholes, but Sadik-Khan says they're on top of it. “Mother Nature has thrown everything at us this winter and we’re striking back with up to 40 crews filling some 2,000 potholes every day. This work will continue throughout the winter to keep our roads in good condition and keep the local economy moving," she said.
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department of transportation
potholes
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winter
Jaya Saxena
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