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The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will start its annual pothole repair campaign on Monday (March 17). This initiative comes in response to an active winter with fluctuating temperatures that have increased pothole formation. Drivers should expect lane closures, particularly between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., as crews work to fix the damaged roads.
According to NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor, the department anticipates repairing more potholes this season than in previous years. Over the past five years, NJDOT has averaged 153,000 pothole repairs annually. As temperatures rise and asphalt plants reopen, more extensive repairs, including milling and paving, will be conducted, primarily overnight.
The NJDOT will use Variable Message Signs (VMS) to inform motorists about lane closures and potential travel delays. Drivers are encouraged to report potholes by calling 1-800-POTHOLE or using the online mapping feature. For real-time updates and repair locations, motorists can visit the NJDOT traffic information website.
The campaign emphasizes the importance of slowing down in work zones for the safety of NJDOT crews. New Jersey’s Move Over law requires drivers to move over or slow down when approaching stopped emergency or service vehicles.