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Harrison Drivers Seek Repairs To Winter-Damaged Roads

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, N.Y. – As Westchester County continues to thaw from a winter full of wild weather, many motorists are clambering for local officials to begin repairing pothole-plagued roadways.

Westchester motorists have been plagued by pothole riddled streets.

Westchester motorists have been plagued by pothole riddled streets.

Photo Credit: Ossining Police Chief Matthew Scarduzio

While many are pleased to see sunny skies, warmer temperatures and streets not layered with ice and snow, the defrosting has wreaked havoc on roadways, some of which have become treacherous.

Robert Sinclair Jr., the manager of media relations for AAA New York said that it’s not just Westchester drivers that are traversing pothole riddled roads, but most municipalities throughout the state.

“An unprecedented combination of weather, roads already in poor condition and the inordinate number of trucks in our region have led to an epic number of potholes,” he said. “The situation is a stark reminder of the need to ensure that the federal highway trust fund is adequately financed so that our crumbling infrastructure can be rebuilt.”

The sustained inclement weather has led to a series of problems, including the potholes, flooding deteriorating road conditions and dwindling salt supplies to expedite the melting process.

Just last week, officials in New Rochelle were forced to approve an emergency expenditure to bring in additional contractors to help repair roadways. Pothole repairs have clogged up major roadways and led to several accidents. Several municipalities are also preparing bonds and grants to aid the process of repairs.

“Usually, the city’s road work is covered entirely by a state grant, but the amount of that grant is simply insufficient to maintain a road network as extensive of New Rochelle’s, which means we fall behind just a little bit each year,” New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson said. “This supplementary funding will enable us to play catch up and provide a longer-term fix for several major roads.”

State Assemblyman Tom Abinanti has been vocal in his repeated calls for the state Department of Transportation to set up an emergency repair program to increase safety. He has also sponsored legislation that, if passed, would create an “interactive website where motorists can report the locations of significant potholes,” and then follow up to see the progress in its repair.

“The recent extraordinary weather has had an extraordinary impact on our State roadways which requires an extraordinary response,” he said in a statement from Albany. “The website would allow drivers to assist the department in prioritizing work and also allow drivers to plan their routes with a map showing where potholes have been reported before venturing out on the roads.”

 

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