Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Got Potholes? De Blasio Will Fill Them For You
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 20, 2014
Modified Feb 20, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Rebecca Fishbein
Published Feb 20, 2014
Modified Feb 20, 2014
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
This trek to Yuriatin of a winter has turned the city into one giant tar pit, littering streets and highways with human-sized potholes just itching to punch out your car's tires and break your bike. Luckily, Mayor de Blasio is ON IT, launching a "weekly pothole blitz" that, by the looks of today's photo opp, will involve him personally filling each and every pothole on your block.
Today, both de Blasio and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg headed to Queens to announce the initiative, which will send 50 crews out to patch up potholes city-wide every weekend. The DOT, which has reportedly filled a "record-breaking" 113,131 potholes this year, will also work on repaving particularly pothole-prone streets and coming up with new roadway materials that can hold up against seasonal wear-and-tear.
And since de Blasio is nothing if not a Man of the People, he had a roadway maintenance crew show him how to fill a hole himself while conveniently positioned near a few errant cameras. "Well, I’ve gotten a valuable lesson today. A new career path has opened up to me," he joked, though those job skills may come in handy if the pitchfork-wielding weathermen and Upper East Siders have their way.
Potholes, if you were wondering, are really just convenient portals to the center of the Earth, perfect for embarking on a battle with the demons that live below. By filling them, we are simply ensuring that Brendan Frasier lives another day.
Tagged
bill de blasio
deblasionewyork
dot
potholes
queens
original
Rebecca Fishbein
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
NYC delivery workers fear e-bike bills would bring more police stops, racial profiling
The City Council held a marathon hearing on Wednesday over a slate of proposals to rein in New York's growing ecosystem of e-bikes.
By
Carol Chen
Published Sep 30, 2026 at 5:31 p.m. ET
Fake QR codes on Manhattan parking meters lead to identity theft charges
Prosecutors haven't said how many people entered their card numbers or whether anyone lost money. A 39-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
By
Charles Lane
News
Fake QR codes on Manhattan parking meters lead to identity theft charges
Prosecutors haven't said how many people entered their card numbers or whether anyone lost money. A 39-year-old man pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
By
Charles Lane
Fare hike for NYC Ferry going into effect next month
By
Elizabeth Kim
Mayor Zohran Mamdani finally gets his federal security clearance
By
Elizabeth Kim
Lawyer suing to block NYC rent freeze tried swaying previous board vote, ex-chair says
By
David Brand
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .