New York City is experiencing a significant rise in pothole complaints, triggered by recent heavy snowfalls that have battered the area, according to city data. Queens, in particular, has been inundated with thousands of complaints, marking a notable increase in public grievances.
“Potholes are everywhere. My tires are practically holding on by a thread,” an X user expressed frustration over the city’s numerous potholes last week.
So far this year, New Yorkers have filed over 11,300 reports about potholes, with nearly half originating from Queens. This represents a sharp 33% increase compared to the same period in 2025, as revealed by a Post analysis of 311 service data.
Queens alone has seen more than 5,000 calls reporting these hazardous and annoying road conditions this year.
Brooklyn followed with 2,107 complaints, while Staten Island logged 1,500, Manhattan recorded 1,414, and The Bronx had 1,259.
Among the most frequently mentioned problem areas were Queens’ Northern Boulevard, which received over 100 complaints since January 1, Rockaway Boulevard with 76 complaints, and Union Turnpike with 66 complaints.
Another person reported potholes “the size of craters” in Queens – while someone separately urged the mayor to address the major issues on Queens Boulevard that are “not getting attention.”
Potholes form with the freezing and unfreezing of water in the asphalt and spell bad news for drivers – who may need to shell out thousands of dollars in costly car repairs when running over them. Motorists also have to deal with lengthy commuting delays while the potholes are being fixed.
Mechanics in The Bronx told News12 last month that they’re seeing a spike in pothole-related repairs, with about 20 expensive work jobs a week due to related damage.
“It’s going to be a peak year for potholes, not just a bad year,” said Tom Pratt, a part owner of a Long Island company that manufactures the asphalt used to repair potholes, to The New York Times.
He said the mild past few winters have “almost seemed like a vacation from pothole season.”
The city’s Department of Transportation fills potholes within two days on average, the agency claimed in a statement.
But a Post analysis of 311 complaints found more than a quarter of complaints made so far in 2026 still “open,” “pending” or “in progress” as of Sunday afternoon.
Those unresolved 311 calls included more than a dozen complaints about major thoroughfares such as Union Turnpike; Roosevelt Avenue and Bruckner, Rockaway, Queens, Springfield and Northern boulevards.
By borough, Queens leads in the number of unresolved complaints with a whopping 1,729 — or about one in three pothole calls — followed by Brooklyn with 453, Manhattan with 414, The Bronx with 314 and Staten Island with 137.
The DOT has averaged roughly 170,000 potholes filled each year in recent years, the agency said, telling The Post in a statement that “high volumes of snowfall, salt, and use of tire chains all contribute to wear and tear on our roads.
“New York is one of the few cities in the country that runs its own asphalt plants, enabling us to pave more than 1,150 lane miles each year and fill potholes within two days of a complaint,” a DOT rep said.
“After this historic winter, we’re ramping up repairs citywide to make sure every borough’s streets are safe and smooth.”
