Rough winter takes its toll on L.B. roads

City says DPW crews repairing potholes throughout town daily

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Frequent ice and snow events coupled with widely fluctuating temperatures have left many roads in Long Beach riddled with potholes. Residents have expressed concern over the damaged streets and the risk they pose to vehicles.

The city has spent between $75,000 and $80,000 on pothole repairs so far this year — not including the cost of labor. Department of Public Works Commissioner Jim LaCarrubba estimated that the total would be higher this year than last. “This winter was a lot worse than some of the past few,” he said.

LaCarrubba added that DPW crews have repaired 1,900 potholes in more than 350 locations throughout the city, and some of the holes have been filled several times. Crews are out every day, he said, but until the weather warms up for good, there’s little they can do aside from temporary fixes.

City officials said that residents who want to report potholes can do so by using the Long Beach Response app available on mobile devices or by calling (516) 431-1011. Park Avenue, between Maple Boulevard and Long Beach Boulevard, and Long Beach Boulevard, north of Park Avenue, are Nassau County roads, and residents can report pothole locations to the county by calling its DPW’s Highway Maintenance Unit, at (516) 571-6900, or by using the Nassau Now mobile app.

Some potholes have required repeated repairs. Snowplows, for instance, can inadvertently dig out newly patched potholes, LaCarrubba said. And pockmarked streets are also attributable to bitterly cold days mixed with warmer days in the same week, resulting in lots of melting and freezing of water under the roadways.

The material under pavement can be eroded by water, causing streets to sink and crack. The cycle of freezing and melting exacerbates the problem, and streets can quickly give way under the weight of traffic, seemingly overnight.

One resident took to Facebook to complain about the potholes on Long Beach Road, just north and just south of the Long Beach Bridge. LaCarrubba said that sections of Pine Street and West Park Avenue are also particularly bad.

“East Broadway was rough, more so this season than some in the past,” he added.

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