Another winter storm is approaching and the work is only just beginning for county road crews who must also battle another seasonal hazard: potholes.
“Anyone who has lived in the Northeast region knows that winter storms like the ones we’ve seen this month can take a devastating toll on asphalt roads,” said Commissioner Tom Pullion, the Board’s liaison to the Department of Public Works and the Division of Roads and Bridges. “While there is little we can do to stop potholes from forming, I’m pleased to report our road crews are already working to repair these hazards on County highways. We’re asking motorists to help out by reporting any problem spots they encounter where potholes have formed.”
Residents can report the location of potholes on county roads to the Division’s Pothole Hotline at 609-265-5021 or by emailing [email protected]. Reports can also be made with an online form at https://burlingtoncountynj.formstack.com/forms/report_a_pothole.
“We check our pothole hotline daily so we can make repairs as quickly as possible,” Pullion said.
Burlington County maintains more than 500 miles of roads, equaling over 1,000 lane miles. So far this winter, crews have repaired more than 1,700 potholes on county roads and used about 46 tons of patch material.
In addition to the County’s aggressive repair program, the County also partners with local municipalities to offer free pothole filling material to those towns that assist with filling craters on county roads. Under the program, towns that fill a pothole on a county road receive a “pound-for-pound” replacement or reimbursement for the material used.
“With so many miles of road in our county, it can be difficult for our crews to get to potholes everywhere,” Pullion said. “But if a municipality is out repairing their own local roads and can patch a damaged spot on a county highway, we reimburse them for the material they used. It’s a great shared service that benefits all our residents and everyone’s safety.”