Potholes Still A Headache for Drivers

 “It’s always a headache to get to school.” It seems like there’s always something causing your car to shake,” said Max Tatis. The City College of New York freshman drives to school in Harlem from his home in Hunts Point. Potholes stud the Major Deegan Expressway and 145th Street, making his daily commute challenging.     

New York City roads have been notorious for being pothole-littered. Since the start of pothole season in March of 2026, there were approximately 23 thousand pothole reports, according to the NY Post. That’s more than double the number of complaints from last year.

 Mayor Mamdani responded to the citywide complaints by launching a pothole blitz with the NYC DOT on March 14th. So far the city has  filled more than one hundred thousand potholes this year.. “New Yorkers deserve safe, smooth streets, and we’re delivering both immediate fixes and long-term solutions,” said DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn in a news release. Mayor Mamdani got out there with the crews to fill potholes himself.

But for drivers, the problem persists. “It’s pretty ridiculous, the sizes those potholes can be. Some of them are like craters that could probably damage your tires if you’re not careful enough. The fact that they can even get to that size shows how long it’s been there.” Gael Morales a senior at Manhattan University, said. “My drive from Soundview to Riverdale isn’t always the smoothest because of the potholes along the way.”  

Pothole at the intersection of Norton Ave and Turneur Avenue in the Bronx has been there for over a year. Photo by Imanol Morales Arizmendi.

Gael is not the only one who deals with this on his commute “It can get pretty frustrating, knowing that you can be going under the speed the limit and still run the risk of damaging your car,” said Liyerlis Gutierrez, a Hunts Point resident who drives to her job in Pelham Bay. Westchester Avenue is known for having huge potholes, the street she drives through every day. 

These potholes don’t just affect motorists. People who travel via electric scooters have a lot to worry about as well. Joel Rivera is a high school junior who depends on rented Lime (small s) Scooters to make his commute to school from Pelham Bay to Castle Hill easier. During basketball season, he often goes home in the dark. “I’ve almost been thrown off the scooter because of potholes many times. It’s gotten to the point where I know when to drive it slower because I know there are potholes nearby, even when I can’t see them.”

Since being sworn in, Mayor Zohran Mamdani has made it his mission to listen to what New Yorkers actually care about. Motorists appreciate that. “The massive potholes on the Third Avenue Bridge are finally repaired. It’s nice not having to worry about them every day,” said taxi driver Leonardo Morales. “I’m glad the city’s understanding what needs to be fixed.” 

Despite the city’s visible success in making progress, there are still plenty of potholes that need filling. New Yorkers continue to watch and drive carefully.