Crews Repair Potholes as Winter Winds Down

Those potholes many of us complain about? Town highway crews are repairing the ones on town roads, after the harsh winter created perfect conditions for producing the craters.

Already this season, the town’s highway department closed 350 pothole requests from residents between Dec. 1 and March 18. In the same period during 2013-2014, 331 requests were closed, town officials say.

Residents can report potholes by calling the 311 Call Center or submitting through the town’s website or the “My North Hempstead” app, which through GPS, pinpoints crews to the exact location of the pothole. Users can send photos of the potholes through the app.

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“We are working hard to fulfill our promise to repair pothole requests on Town roads within two business days,” Supervisor Judi Bosworth said.

The highway department fills potholes with hot asphalt, which is stored inside one of six “hot boxes” that are pulled behind highway trucks. These hot boxes serve as ovens that keep the asphalt at about 300 degrees. Highway crews prepare the hole by removing any loose debris, and then shovel in the hot mixture, followed by rolling it with a one-ton steam roller.

“Some of the bigger potholes can take up to a ton of material,” said Highway Superintendent Tom Tiernan.

Crews use about 48 tons of hot asphalt a day when pothole season is at its peak. The asphalt is procured from one of several plants on Long Island that manufacture the hot mix, Tiernan said.

“Right now we are fortunate to have enough hot asphalt to fill our needs and our potholes,” he noted.

You can request other services using the “My North Hempstead” app and by calling 311. The “My North Hempstead” app is available on Android and iPhone. For more information, call 311 or (516) 869-6311.

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