New Jersey's Department of Transportation says filling potholes is a priority for highway maintenance workers.
You don't have to travel far to find one. New Jersey Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Schapior says constant fluctuations above and below the freezing point this winter have caused multitudes of potholes to erupt on New Jersey roadways.
“That freeze-thaw cycle is very harsh on the roads. When there’s rain or snow and ice that gets into the cracks of the roadway, when it freezes it expands and that will damage the roadway. When it warms up it will melt, that allows the water to get into those cracks.”
Cathleen Lewis with AAA says hitting a pothole with your car could cause damage that might cost $50 to $2,000 to repair.
"It's not just about having a flat tire. It could be that you need a new alignment. It could be that you need a new rim. It could be that you've bent a tie rod. There's lot of things that can happen. Unfortunately, it gets more expensive the more damage there is."
If you see a pothole, Schapiro says you can call 1-800-POTHOLE to report it.
"An emergency pothole that we consider a hazard to motorists, if there's a potential for damage, things like that, then our response time is just a few hours to get out there and get that repaired. Other potholes that might be less severe, it may take a few days."
The state is using 13 pothole filling machines to help make the repairs. More extensive resurfacing work will wait until asphalt plants open in the spring.
State crews have repaired more than 218,000 potholes in each of the past five years.