Commuters Trying To Dodge Potholes In New York City Roads

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Tri-State area drivers are experiencing a rough ride this spring as they are trying to dodge potholes.

Potholes still rule the road in New York City. CBS2's Christine Sloan had trouble holding her cellphone while shooting video of 10th Avenue in the 40s and on 51st Street between 9th and 10th Avenues as cracks and holes in the road are everywhere.

Northeastern cities and towns start filling potholes in March as soon as the snow stops falling, except for the city when it is almost June and there are tons of potholes.

"Horrible, horrendous and I just got this car and it is riding so nicely and I am dreading keeping it in this condition because New York City is horrible with potholes," Queens resident Jermaine McQueen said.

Across the river in North Bergen, New Jersey, they're on top of potholes as they are filling them quickly.

"The cracking can occur when there is water in there and water seeps in and then the temperatures go down, the water will freeze and expand, and it can cause alligator-like cracks in the roadways," Frank Englese, director of the North Bergen Department of Public Works, said.

Crews in North Bergen have been working non-stop since March.

"This is called cold tack," Public Works employee Paul Molinero said. "What we do is drop it into the holes."

The cold tack acts as glue after old gravel is pulled out from the street.

"You gotta dig it out with the machine over there, and take shovels and you fill it in and level it out so everything is nice and even," Public Works employee Bobby Hanrahan said.

The secret to North Bergen's success is a machine they rent out in March that fills potholes faster than workers, so they can spend the rest of the time concentrating on rough spots.

"The pothole killer is a machine that has an agrogate in it and it has an extending arm that drives over the potholes and the arm will move side to side," Englese said.

A spokesperson for New York City's Department of Transportation said road safety is a priority and that Mayor Bill de Blasio has devoted $242 million to projects.

The spokesperson told Sloan that the roads talked about in this story have all ben resurfaced.