State crews say they repaired more than one million potholes in 2026, including 43,000 in the Mohawk Valley, while a record paving program renewed thousands of lane miles.

New York pothole repairs have passed one million for 2026, and the state says 43,000 of those fixes were made in the Mohawk Valley. The milestone gives local drivers a measurable picture of how much patching followed a damaging winter, but it also shows why permanent paving and quick public reporting still matter.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the statewide total Thursday, Oct. 22, after joining a New York State Department of Transportation maintenance crew near the Meadowbrook State Parkway in Hempstead. The governor’s office said crews and contractors have used more than 39,500 tons of asphalt to fill potholes on state roads this year.

The official state announcement credits maintenance employees who moved quickly from winter operations into road repair. It also includes an official Flickr photo album. The album is linked for readers, but its images were not reused here because a reuse license could not be confirmed.

Mohawk Valley crews filled 43,000 potholes

The Mohawk Valley total covers NYSDOT Region 2, a six-county area that includes Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, Madison and Hamilton counties. NYSDOT says the region serves roughly 480,000 residents and maintains about 1,335 centerline miles of state highway and 482 state bridges.

That scale helps put the 43,000 repairs into context. A single patched hole may be small, but road crews are responsible for a large network that ranges from busy urban routes around Utica and Rome to rural corridors where detours can be long.

The state reported the following regional totals:

• Capital Region: 75,000
• Mohawk Valley: 43,000
• Central New York: 52,000
• Finger Lakes: 95,000
• Western New York: 88,000
• Western Southern Tier: 42,000
• North Country: 178,000
• Hudson Valley: 150,000
• Southern Tier: 121,000
• Long Island: 156,000

Those figures add up to one million repairs. They describe work on state-maintained roads, not every pothole on county highways, city streets, village streets, town roads or private property.

Patching is one part of a larger paving program

The million-pothole total is not the same as a million permanent road reconstructions. Patching addresses an immediate hazard and can extend pavement life, but repeated failures often point to wider drainage, pavement or base problems that require more substantial work.

According to the governor’s office, the state’s 2026 effort included more than $600 million for over 180 paving projects covering nearly 2,150 lane miles. Those projects were supported by $800 million added in the enacted state budget for the final two years of NYSDOT’s five-year capital plan.

When core programs are included, the state says its 2026 paving program renewed more than 4,000 lane miles, the largest annual road resurfacing program in NYSDOT history. Major corridors named in the announcement include Interstate 81, Interstate 490, Interstate 86, the Adirondack Northway, Northern State Parkway and Cross Westchester Expressway.

In the Mohawk Valley, readers can see how those statewide programs connect with individual projects. The Phoenix recently reported on a Route 5 lane restriction in Schuyler tied to continuing road work. We also covered New York’s $43.2 million roadway safety investment, which helps local governments address hazards beyond routine patching.

Why potholes return

Potholes often begin when water enters cracks in pavement. During cold weather, that water freezes and expands. When temperatures rise, the pavement settles again. Repeated freeze-and-thaw cycles weaken the roadway until traffic breaks loose material and opens a hole.

Heavy vehicles and repeated traffic loads can make the damage grow faster. That is why a repair total is best read as a measure of work completed, not proof that the underlying conditions have disappeared.

Temporary patches also face different conditions than full-depth repairs. Crews sometimes must make an urgent cold-weather fix and return later when warm, dry weather allows stronger materials and a longer-lasting repair.

How Mohawk Valley drivers can report a pothole

Drivers outside New York City can report a pothole on a state-owned highway, including the Thruway, by calling 1-800-POTHOLE, or 1-800-768-4653. Reports for New York City state routes go through 311.

Before calling, note the route number, nearest cross street or exit, direction of travel and a safe landmark. Do not stop in a travel lane or step into traffic to take a photograph. A precise location is more useful than a general complaint.

Road ownership matters:

• State highway or Thruway: Call 1-800-POTHOLE.
• County road: Contact the county highway or public works department.
• City, village or town street: Contact that municipality’s public works or highway department.
• Private road or parking lot: Notify the property owner or manager.

Drivers can use 511NY for current travel conditions, work zones and incidents. A pothole that creates an immediate traffic danger can also be reported to local law enforcement, but routine maintenance requests should go to the agency that owns the road.

What the milestone means for local residents

For Mohawk Valley households, road condition is a pocketbook issue. A hard strike can damage a tire, wheel, alignment or suspension. It can also cause a driver to swerve, increasing risk for people in nearby lanes, on bicycles or along the shoulder.

The 43,000 local repairs are significant, especially after a winter that state officials described as unusually hard on pavement. The next test is durability: whether repaired sections hold through another winter and whether paving money reaches the corridors with the most repeated failures.

NYSDOT workers also perform this work close to moving traffic. Drivers approaching cones, flashing vehicles or flaggers should slow down, leave more space and follow temporary directions. A few seconds of patience protects crews and other motorists.

Share a problem area safely

Which state road in Oneida or Herkimer County still needs attention? Share the route and nearest safe landmark in the comments, and report the location to the responsible road agency so it enters the official repair system. Never photograph a pothole from a live traffic lane.

Sources: Office of Governor Kathy Hochul, Oct. 22, 2026; New York State Department of Transportation regional offices; 511NY.