"These streets? Forget about it."

That's Angelo Ingratta, an 83-year-old retired letter carrier who lives on Fourth Street in the city's Village section. Asked to describe what it's like to drive on Fourth Street, Ingratta moves his hand up and down, simulating a roller coaster.

Ingratta's complaint is echoed by residents from Hague Street to the Bayonne border. Reynold, who lives on Bergen Avenue near Armstrong Avenue, pointed to the pockmarked roadway in front of his home. The city patches the roadway with subpar material that does not last long, he said.

"You see a patch here, a patch there. Patch, patch, patch," said Reynold, who declined to provide his last name. "And it's all down Bergen Avenue, Jackson Avenue."

Road conditions have caught the attention of City Council members. Ward E Councilwoman Candice Osborne said the city's streets are in "dire conditions in some cases."

"I cannot ride down Ocean Avenue, MLK Drive without going into a hole," added Ward F Councilwoman Diane Coleman.

The city says help is on the way. It is about to begin a program announced in April to resurface 80 streets representing more than 16 miles citywide, an initiative that is expected to cost more than $10 million, according to city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill.

"The magnitude of this project shows the city's commitment to improving infrastructure," Morrill said.

Jersey City has 220.59 miles of roadway, according to the state Department of Transportation, almost all of them maintained by the municipality.

Ocean Avenue, a 2.2-mile stretch that runs from the Bayonne border all the way up to Grand Street, may include the worst roadway surface in the city. Driving eastbound, there are few smooth patches longer than a half-block.

The road is getting special attention from the city, which is applying for a state grant of $2.5 million to resurface the entire roadway. Morrill said that the city is seeking to reappropriate over $2 million of unused federal funds to pay for the project if the grant is not approved.

The council last week also adopted a measure allowing the city to borrow $9 million to pay to improve road conditions citywide, part of $30 million in bonds intended for various capital improvements. Business Administrator Robert Kakoleski said the money would be available on July 19.

That can't come too soon for motorists whose vehicles are getting damaged from potholes. Gino Farrulli, 60, who has run Westside Tire & Automotive near New Jersey City University for 38 years, said one reason he's seeing more tire problems -- about 50 customers a week, he said -- is the kind of tires car makers use now.

In recent years, rims have become bigger and tires have become smaller, leading to less cushion when a tire hits a rough patch on a road, he said.

There's another reason.

"The roads are worse in the sense that the government is not fixing them," Farrulli said.

The city just completed resurfacing almost the entire length of Manhattan Avenue, Morrill said, adding that other entities such as PSE&G and the city Municipal Utilities Authority will oversee road resurfacing elsewhere in coming months.

Frank Rubano, 67, who lives near Journal Square, said the city is doing a "really poor job" of keeping roadways smooth and safe and he blames Fulop.

"All he's worried about is running for governor," Rubano said.