Southampton - Don't let the abundant sunshine, warm temperatures and generally snow free weather fool you; we're not out of the woods from more snow, ice or cold just yet. The Town of Southampton generally averages about 26.8 inches of snowfall per year, however this winter, the town eclipsed 36 inches of snow in the span of just over six weeks.

The New York State Department Of Transportation is responsible for maintaining State Highways such as Route 27. (nysdot.gov)

Even with the snow and ice melting away, and warm temperatures on the horizon, East Enders frustrations are mounting, as road surfaces littered with Grand Canyon like potholes are left behind. State, county, town, village and private roads have all been afflicted with this wintertime phenomenon, which is caused by infiltration of water into pavement through surface cracks which then freezes and thaws.

On the East End, State roads such as Route 27 are under the care and maintenance of the New York State Department of Transportation. The NYDOT is asking that motorists and residents help identify pothole locations by reporting them to 1-800-POTHOLE. Operators are standing by to receive calls to the hotline, which are then directed to the closest NYDOT or Thruway Authority maintenance facility.

"Potholes are a reality of winter that comes each year usually toward the end of the season when temperatures warm up, but the State Department of Transportation is already on the lookout for these nuisances," said Department of Transportation Acting Commissioner Joan McDonald. "Since potholes are caused primarily by the freezing and thawing cycle, and since this winter has steadily stayed cold, we do not expect a spike in the number of potholes on New York roadways, however, we are asking motorists to let us know when they encounter them by calling 1-800-POTHOLE. Monitoring the roads for potholes, and repairing those we know about is part of the Department's maintenance program, but additional information we receive from the public is very helpful in this effort."

East Hampton Town Superintendent of Highways Scott King has been on top of pothole patching for week. (File Photo)

In the Town of East Hampton, Superintendent of Highways Scott King has been monitoring the pothole situation for weeks. "Most of the potholes are on 27 which is a state road, we don't have many at all in East Hampton," he said, "We've had the trucks out constantly. We've been doing cold patching for weeks. In the spring we're going to have to reassess where we're going to pave." If you see a pothole on a Town of East Hampton road, you can call King's office at 631-324-0925 and report it.

King has already put $50,000 into his surplus, and he is hoping it will get the Town through the rest of this year. "Our fiscial year is up January 1, so we're probably going to have to put more money in come next year because we have from November to January 1," said King, "It's very tough to budget for Mother Nature. If you can tell me how many inches we're going to get I can tell you how much money I'm going need, but it just doesn't work that way."

In the Town of Southampton, Legislative Secretary Jennifer Garvey said that the snow storms since Christmas have cost the town $800,000. The Town Board has since authorized an additional $100,000 increase in the salt budget for this year.

If you see a pothole in Southampton Town, it should be reported to the Hgihway Department who will immediately issue a work ticket and repair it as soon as possible. Information about the snow budget and highway repair due to potholes was obtained through the office of Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, as repeated calls and e-mails to Southampton Town Superintendent of Highways Alex Gregor have gone unanswered for well over a week.

If your car has already been damaged due to rough roads and potholes, remember that you are covered under collision insurance. Peter Sosnowski of Shoreline Towing in Hampton Bays says that although the company hasn't been busy with pothole related breakdowns, he has seen a lot of potholes on the South Fork, especially on the side streets. "I think there's more than past years," Sosnowski said.

There are many ways that you can assist your town in the event of another major snowstorm. If able, you can clear snow away from fire hydrants in order to assist local fire departments. You can also help the United States Postal Service deliverymen and women by clearing snow away from mailboxes.

There is no question that here on the East End, citizens are tired of the snow, ice, cold, and rough roadways. Let's hope Puxatony Phil was right on Groundhog Day with his prediction that we will have an early spring.