NJDOT launches
statewide pothole repair campaign
Motorists should expect to encounter
work
crews over the next several weeks
(Trenton) – New
Jersey Department of Transportation
Commissioner James Simpson today
announced a concentrated effort
that will extend into the spring
to repair potholes across New Jersey.
Severe winter weather has produced
extraordinarily high numbers of
potholes on state highways, creating
hazardous conditions for motorists.
To deal with potholes in the most
aggressive and efficient manner,
the Department will be allowing
crews through the state to close
travel lanes where necessary during
daytime hours, including during
peak travel times for priority repairs.
“This has been a brutal winter
that has taken a heavy toll on our
roads, but I want to assure New
Jersey residents that we are focusing
all available resources to make
repairs as quickly as possible,” Simpson
said.
Where possible, crews will limit
their daytime work hours to 9 a.m.-3
p.m., per standard protocol, and
will try to avoid working in travel
lanes carrying traffic in the peak
direction during peak times. However,
motorists might encounter maintenance
crews making priority repairs any
time of the day or night during
this campaign.
The Department will be using Variable
Message Signs to alert motorists
of the campaign and, to the extent
possible, of lane closures that
could result in temporary travel
delays. Detailed current repair
locations will be posted on a
continual basis on www.511nj.org.
In addition to the Department's
usual pothole repair methods which
in the winter months include cold
patch material and pothole-filling
machines, the Department has hired
a contractor to complement these
efforts. The contractor, Schifano
Construction Co., will be purchasing
hot asphalt from plants and will
use this material to make repairs
to individual potholes and to entire
sections of damaged highway.
To illustrate the severity of the
pothole situation, NJDOT typically
repairs about 160,000 potholes per
year. In just the past five months,
NJDOT has filled about 100,000 potholes.
To report a pothole, call 1-800-POTHOLE
or use the reporting form on the
Department's homepage at www.nj.gov/transportation. | 
