Syracuse Post-Standard Opinion: NY drivers pay billions. Why are we still dodging potholes? (Guest Opinion by Justin Wilcox)

April 20th, 2026

By Justin Wilcox | Upstate United

Justin Wilcox, of Brighton, is the executive director of Upstate United, a nonpartisan business and taxpayer advocacy coalition focused on growing the Upstate economy.

On March 13, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced it fills more than 1 million potholes each year. That number is striking — but it should also be alarming. Potholes are not just a maintenance issue; they are a visible sign of long-term underinvestment.

This comes as NYSDOT enters the final year of its “record” $34.3 billion, five-year capital program. That raises a fundamental question: If we are spending at historic levels, why are so many of our roads still in poor condition?

At least part of the answer lies in the fact that state leaders aren’t spending at the levels promised. The state committed to invest $21.2 billion over the first three years of the five-year program, but actual spending comes in at just $17.2 billion — nearly $4 billion, or about 20% less than promised. That gap raises serious questions about how transportation dollars are being allocated.

Concerns about accountability extend to how information is presented to the public. The latest NYSDOT Pavement Condition Report consolidates categories of work, making it harder to determine how much is actually being spent on core pavement reconstruction.

Meanwhile, New York’s drivers are footing much of the bill. Every time we fill our tanks, we pay a significant share in taxes and fees. On a recent fill-up — 17 gallons at $4 per gallon — I paid $11.61 in taxes. That’s nearly 17 cents of every dollar going to taxes and fees rather than fuel itself.

Statewide, those contributions add up quickly. In 2026, if current trends continue, state gas taxes alone are projected to generate approximately $2 billion. Add nearly $2.8 billion in federal highway aid, and total funding tied to drivers approaches $5 billion annually.

With that level of investment, one would expect smooth, well-maintained roads. But the reality tells a different story.

According to NYSDOT’s most recent pavement condition report, only about $700 million is being spent on resurfacing. Meanwhile, 39% of state roads — more than 15,000 lane miles — are rated in poor or fair condition.

Even more concerning, the state is doing less maintenance than in prior years. Between 2020 and 2022, NYSDOT averaged roughly 4.1 million tons of asphalt annually. From 2023 through 2025, that average dropped to 2.6 million tons — a decline of more than 37%. That reduction is not just a statistic; it is accelerating the deterioration drivers experience every day.

To be fair, NYSDOT reports total capital spending of $3.1 billion in fiscal year 2024 — about half of what drivers contributed in gas taxes and federal aid.

A comparison to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) is instructive. This year, fares are expected to cover only about 30% of the MTA’s operating budget, and none of its capital program, yet the system remains under constant scrutiny for performance, reliability and investment needs.

Imagine the reaction if transit riders were asked to cover more than half of the construction costs while 40% of the subway system remained in substandard condition? The public outcry would be deafening.

However, that’s the reality that Upstate drivers face now. They pay billions each year in taxes and fees, yet still drive on deteriorating roads, absorb rising vehicle repair costs and lose money due to reduced fuel efficiency. For transit riders Downstate, service problems spark headlines; for drivers Upstate, the cost of underinvestment hits daily, with every pothole, repair bill and mile driven.

The core issue is not simply how much we spend, but how effectively we invest. Years of insufficient and inconsistent maintenance have left the state playing catch-up. And with traffic volumes increasing, not declining, the challenge is only growing.

New York does not have a revenue problem when it comes to roads. It has a prioritization and accountability problem.

If we want safer, smoother roads, state leaders must commit to sustained, transparent investment in core maintenance like resurfacing — not just headline spending totals. Drivers deserve to see tangible results from the billions they contribute each year.

Until then, filling a million potholes annually is not an achievement. It is a warning sign.