The so-called pothole is at least eight inches deep and surrounded by other, small potholes. It has existed for at least six months and well-known to users of the Lincoln Tunnel, delivery drivers and taxi drivers who regularly drive on the street.
The charter bus accident happened last Thursday. The bus was carrying a dance group of young people and their parents to a competition in the city and was touring the city before their appearance later that day. The group was from St. John, New Brunswick. There were no major injuries, although two people on the bus were treated at St. Luke’s Hospital for cuts and bruises.
Staff at a nearby hotel, Metro Apartments, had brought the pothole to the attention of local city Councilman Corey Johnson’s office. Johnson’s office had no comment.
One regular commuter from New Jersey, who sees the pothole at least four times each week on his drive to work, said that traffic officers are often standing right next to the pothole. He noted that sometimes it even has the white plastic guards around it. “I find it hard to believe that the city did not know about it,” he said.
The city of Chicago, which has more damaging winter weather, instituted an aggressive pothole monitoring and repair campaign to deal with the record number of potholes — and expensive pothole damage claims — that last year’s brutal winter left behind. Maybe it’s time for New York City to do the same.
Source: DNAInfo, “Pothole That Caused Bus Crash Was a Problem for Months, Neighbors Say,” Jul. 21, 2014.