If you're sick of getting rattled by a pothole every couple hundred feet, you'll be happy to learn that repairs on these road craters are underway across the Garden State.

parking lot potholes in Neptune
Parking lot potholes in Neptune (Dino Flammia, Townsquare Media NJ)
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The busiest time of the year for pothole work is spring, but crews are out in full force now to at least temporarily fix what they can.

"We use what's called a cold patch material," said Steve Schapiro, spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. "Cold patch is temporary, so it might require us to refill the same pothole a few times during the winter."

The department also utilizes 13 "pothole-filling machines" that implement a more durable fix than cold patch.

In the spring, when freeze-thaw cycles are no longer a threat, hot asphalt provides a more permanent solution.

In most fiscal years, the department handles between 150,000 and 170,000 potholes. Schapiro predicted this season will fall in the same range.

Last year was busier than usual for road crews. Numerous snow events and extreme temperature changes resulted in the repair of 275,000 potholes.

If affected by a pothole on state highways and interstates, drivers have the ability to file for damage claims through the Department of Treasury's Office of Risk Management.

Schapiro said motorists can report potholes using a form at the DOT website, and by calling 1-800-POTHOLE.

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