‘Road Doctor’ calls pothole filling a 'band-aid’
Peter Nardone, of Katonah, a structural engineer and lifelong road builder, says many of the same potholes keep returning — even after being repaired.
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A local engineer is sounding the alarm on what he calls a short-term approach to fixing Westchester’s roads — warning that simply filling potholes won’t solve deeper infrastructure problems.
Peter Nardone, of Katonah, a structural engineer and lifelong road builder, says many of the same potholes keep returning — even after being repaired.
“Some of these potholes were just filled. You could tell they just pop out again,” Nardone said, pointing to Route 117 in Katonah, a heavily traveled road used by residents and emergency vehicles.
Nardone says the real solution goes beyond patchwork repairs. Instead of filling individual holes, he believes roads need to be fully milled — a process that grinds down existing asphalt before repaving — to address underlying damage.
In his spare time, Nardone compiled a 15-page report outlining road conditions across northern Westchester. He estimates it could cost as much as $1 billion to properly repair roads countywide.
“Albany has to be more proactive,” he said.
Bedford Town Supervisor Ellen Calves agrees that long-term planning is key. She says local Bedford roads are typically repaved every 12 to 15 years as part of regular capital planning — but questions whether the same strategy is being applied to state-owned roads.
“For the state roads, I haven’t seen that kind of plan,” Calves said.
Calves says Nardone has shared his findings with the town and praised his efforts to push the issue forward.
“Peter has been a great volunteer to gather information and bring this advocacy up to the state level,” she said.
As pothole season continues, Nardone hopes his research helps shift the conversation from temporary fixes to lasting solutions.
