A recently filled pothole on Starr between Central and Wilson. — Photo by Andrew Frisicano
As anyone who has ever driven a car (or ridden a bike for that matter) through Bushwick can attest, the roads are in disrepair. Bumps and crags, many warped seemingly to the point of bursting, litter Bushwick’s roadways. A common sight is cars veering erratically (more erratically than normal, at least) to avoid popping a tire or the inevitable shock wear.
On January 8, the city issued a press release documenting its efforts to improve the winter road situation. Since Thanksgiving, the release says, the city has filled 12,547 of Brooklyn’s potholes — the most in any borough.
I was skeptical at first, but in the weeks since, I’ve seen various improvements, including the filling of one of the worst offenders, a huge pothole on Starr Street between Central and Wilson Avenues. I’m not sure how long the fresh pile of loosely compacted asphalt will hold, but it’s something.
To report any moon crater-sized holes on your block, call 311 or use this online pothole complaint form. The city claims to fix reported potholes in three days, on average. And if you damage your car in a reported, unfixed hole, you may be eligible for compensation.
What are the worst potholes in your area?
miked January 30th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
There was a pothole at the intersection of George and Central a few months ago. Someone put one of those green street trashcans in it as a make-shift warning to approaching drivers. But by the end of the day, the can was beaten and bent beyond recognition, though it still held firm it’s position – the pot hole was deep. They did fill it eventually, probably to avoid a dramatic increase in trash can replacement expenses, what with the price of metal on the rise and all.
Matt January 30th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Ahhh, I bet the kidz were not happy when they finally filled in the crater in that picture. It was a perfect skateboard jumping ramp.
what I wanna know…the city repaved that street only a few years ago. As well as Troutman on the other side of the school. So wtf happened? Troutman is a giant sinkhole. Not a pothole, a sinking street!
Jeremy Sapienza January 30th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Troutman is a complete clusterfuck between Central and Wilson (and everywhere else, really). It’s tire troughs are easily 6 inches deep.
Mike, I loved that huge pothole on Central and Melrose, it was fascinating seeing the various things people stuck in the hole over the course of what, two weeks? Then they finally filled it. I was a little sad.
chillinoncentral January 31st, 2009 at 9:41 am
I think a low quality gravel is used to fill these potholes during the winter that is meant as a temporary fix until the weather gets warmer and then they can re-pave with a better product that prevents the street from weakening and deteriorating… but then, come springtime, no one seems to gets around to re-paving with the better stuff (at least, not in this area of Brooklyn) and the results of the original filling turn our streets into cyclone-like landscapes all over our area. Maybe I’m a little too skeptical, but I think that the push to repair potholes in the winter is partially calculated by the city to offer an illusion of maintenance with no intent to repair properly in the spring.
dumbyuppies February 1st, 2009 at 12:34 am
the real reason is because of the stupid idiots that have the fire hydrants on all summer long the water settles and ruins the roads
Tony T February 1st, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Some years back, while giving my Japanese bride a tour of Knickerbocker avenue, we were startled by a loud BANG. A compact car sat in the middle of Knickerbocker and Himrod, smoke billowing from the inside. We ran to offer assistance only to find the smoke was from the air bags. I helped the middle-aged lady out of the car, dazed and confused, she told me her car hit a pothole and activated the airbag! When I looked under the car, I was shocked to see the chassis was sitting in a crater about 2 feet deep. We hadn’t seen holes like that in the ground since the 1995 earthquake in Kobe Japan. It was scary.