The thaw in winter temperatures the last few days gave "rise" to another problem: potholes on area roadways.
"They're all over," said driver Danielle James. "All over the city, all over Long Island and no one's fixing them."
James' frustration was borne out of the fact that she has already had two tires damaged by potholes. The repairs cost close to four hundred dollars.
She is not alone.
"My car just fell into a pothole," said driver Joe LoPiccolo. "A nice big noise and then a lot of expletives!"
"The potholes are starting to pop up in the warmer weather," said Islip's Public Works commissioner Rich Baker. "The freeze-thaw cycle- that's when they pop up."
Islip town crews as well as New York state DOT's so-called "pothole killer" were filling in the nasty craters Monday; but, it could be a long, uphill fight.
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"It's driver beware," said Grant Hendricks of the Long Island Contractors Association. "It's a pretty serious situation out there.
According to LICA, another freeze-thaw cycle later this week could multiply the number of potholes and by early spring, the problem could be much worse.
Both NY state and Nassau county are operating pothole hot lines. Residents can call or e-mail to report the locations of potholes. The NY state hot line number is 1-800-POTHOLE. In Nassau county, call 516-571-6900 or e-mail pothole emergencies@nassaucountyny.gov.
Call volume is already slight higher than last year, according to a Nassau spokesman.
Paying for pothole repairs could be an issue down the road for some municipalities.
"The more we spend on potholes, the less we have for road repaving," said Islip's Rich Baker.
Drivers are urged to slow down and try and avoid potholes; but, as the hub caps and other car parts littering some roads attest, sometimes, that's easier said than done.
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