Residents of Somers are expressing safety concerns over deep and dangerous potholes.
Drivers highlighted particularly hazardous areas along Route 118 and the 202 corridor, where driving is perilous, exacerbated by recent wet and icy weather conditions.
"It's absolutely frightening. I'm white-knuckle driving at night because I can't see. There's snow, there's water on the roads – you have no idea when you're going to hit a pothole," says resident Christina Rae.
Town officials say their hands are tied because the roads are owned by New York state, so the town is literally not allowed to touch them."We are unique in that regard where we probably have more state roads than a lot of other municipalities and other towns in Westchester County," says Somers Town SupervisorRobert Scorrano.
Somers DPW officials say they get about 20 to 30 calls and emails a day.
"A lot of bent rims, tires, insurance claims – but the bigger deal is everyone's driving in and out of their lanes to get around potholes, and it's a serious safety hazard," says Somers Highway Superintendent Nick DiVito.
State Assemblyman Matt Slater represents this area and is on the state Transportation Committee. He tells News 12 that he and other state lawmakers from the region are pushing the state DOT to fix the roads and will continue to pressure them until something is done.