The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) will begin their annual statewide campaign to repair potholes across the state on Monday, March 6.

While New Jersey saw below average snowfall this winter, temperatures continually fluctuated between above and below freezing.

Potholes are created by water seeping into cracks in the asphalt and then expanding when it freezes, so this type of weather pattern still takes a toll on state highways.

Although the DOT repairs potholes all week, they provide a special focus during the next few months, which means crews throughout the state will be allowed to close travel lanes where necessary, even during daytime hours.

Where possible, crews will limit their daytime work hours to 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will try to avoid working in travel lanes carrying traffic during peak times.

NJDOT will be using Variable Message Signs to alert motorists of the campaign and, to the extent possible, of lane closures that could result in temporary travel delays.

As the weather warms up and asphalt plants reopen, DOT crews will start to perform permanent patch operations on particularly problematic sections of roadway.

This is more extensive work that includes milling and paving a small area of the road, and generally will be done overnight.

In the past five years, NJDOT has repaired an average of approximately 190,000 potholes per year.

So far in the current fiscal year, which began July 1, NJDOT has repaired about 80,000 potholes, with the busiest pothole repair season just starting.