Comptroller: NYC Paid $138 Million In Settlements Related To Pothole Damage, Injuries
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- According to a new report released Thursday, New York City's pothole problem is costing the city big time.
The ClaimStat Alert issued by Comptroller Scott Stringer said the city has paid out $138 million in settlements relating to defective roadways over the last six years.
There are also more than 12,000 claims for damage to vehicles and nearly 6,000 personal injury claims pending against the city relating to potholes, according to the report.
"Potholes are serious trouble," Stringer said in a statement. "They deflate tires, break axles, and twist ankles, often at a significant financial cost to the city."
As CBS2's Marcia Kramer reported, drivers and pedestrians know only too well how bad the city streets are, but what they might not know is what could be done with the money the city has shelled out in damage claims. You could:
* Repave 814 miles of city streets
* Provide 115,000 more child care vouchers
* Add 300,000 addition slots in the summer youth program
ClaimStat: NYC Paid $138 Million In Settlements Related To Pothole Damage, Injuries
According to ClaimStat, the three worst roadways for potholes across the five boroughs based on the number of claims between 2010 and 2015 are the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, the Grand Central Parkway, and the Belt Parkway.
The Belt Parkway had the highest number of claims with a total of 706, 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported.
"If you happen to drive on the Belt, please know that you are in our thoughts and prayers every day," Stringer said.
Meanwhile, Manhattan led the way in trip-and-fall claims, the report said. The top three roadways with claims were Third Avenue, Second Avenue and Broadway, with Broadway receiving the most claims at 195.
ClaimStat: NYC Paid $138 Million In Settlements Related To Pothole Damage, Injuries
Stringer said the ClaimStat Alert should serve as a road map for the Department of Transportation to identify trouble spots across the city "so that they can do the important work of repairing roadways now, before winter weather comes storming back to make our city's streets even worse."
Stringer noted the DOT filled 74,000 potholes in the first four months of this year, WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported.
The department has also resurfaced parts of the FDR Drive, Grand Avenue in Queens, and Bay Street and Clove Road on Staten Island, Kramer reported.
"The problem is, the average time to close a pothole work order was 6.7 days -- nearly triple the 2.4 days it took in 2014," the comptroller said.
The DOT responded, saying potholes are filled within an average of five days and pointed out that Mayor Bill de Blasio has made a $1.6 billion investment to resurface roads in the five boroughs.
