Shutdowns are going into effect on the Long Island Expressway as part of a repaving project to fix potholes on the highway.

Drivers say they are not happy with the traffic backups, but say the work needs to be done.

The roadwork is part of a long-term fix that is supposed to be ongoing for at least a decade.

Massive craters all over the road have been costing drivers money in repair bills.

"You've got to drive, looking forward, looking down to avoid potholes to avoid damage to the car," one driver said. "Going back and forth to work is a struggle."

Thunderbolt 12 spotted potholes Monday near exit 50.

The New York State Department of Transportation is working to resurface a large section of the highway from the Nassau and Suffolk border up to Route 112 in Medford.

The total cost will be $80 million

DOT spokesperson Stephen Canzoneri says traffic is being detoured onto the service roads during construction.

Canzoneri says the department is monitoring traffic signals to keep detoured drivers moving as efficiently as possible.

The agency says overnight closures will help the project finish faster and prevent workers from getting hurt.

"The full closure is to give workers a safe environment and plenty of room to work," Canzoneri says. "We don't need cars going through and speeding through a work zone and putting workers' lives at risk. It allows the contractor to have a little bit more mobility and get more work done."

The major part of the project should be completed by the end of the year, but there will be nightly closures until then.