Pothole Repair vs. Full Resurfacing: Which Does Your NYC Lot Need?
How to decide between crack sealing, patching, and a full asphalt overlay for a commercial property in Queens, Brooklyn, or Long Island.
The rule of thumb: if less than 25% of the surface shows distress and the base is sound, spot-repair. Above 25% distress, or if you see alligator cracking and pumping, plan a mill-and-overlay instead.
The FHWA pavement condition index (PCI) is the industry framework we use to make that call — a PCI above 70 warrants preservation, 55–70 calls for rehabilitation, and below 55 typically means reconstruction.
Cost trade-off
Crack sealing is $1.50–$3 per linear foot; a hot-mix patch runs $150–$300 per pothole; a 2-inch mill-and-overlay is $2.50–$5 per square foot. Deferring repairs is almost always more expensive within 3 years.