The smell of hot asphalt and closed lanes can only mean one thing: It’s pothole filling season in New Jersey. Department of Transportation officials announced the official kick-off of spring pothole-filling season, although recent winter storms may have hastened that activity. Acting Transportation Commissioner James S. Simpson said in a prepared release that since January, DOT crews have filled about 45,000 potholes with cold asphalt patch material. Warmer weather allows crews to switch to hot asphalt patch material, which lasts longer.

Simpson made a ceremonial visit today to see a DOT crew patching potholes on Route 46 in Teterboro and announced that pothole repair crews are fanning out statewide to make make permanent repairs to what is expected to be a bumper crop of potholes this year because of the harsh winter season.

Simpson encouraged motorists to report potholes online at www.state.nj.us/transportation or by calling 1-800-POTHOLE (800-768-4653).

The DOT expects to repair more than 150,000 potholes for the budget year ending June 30. Last year, the DOT spent $2.2 million and used 4,800 tons of patch material to fill 121,000 potholes on highways it maintains statewide. Lary Higgs/APP