I think it's a lot more complicated than greedy contractors. Certainly, we are often either paying lowest bidder or politically connected contractors who do the work for as little money as possible. There's also the situation that Rt. 1 is an extremely busy corridor for both commuters and trucks.

Even with the most well built roads, they will get torn up by overweight vehicles over time. The water is pooling exactly along the tire treads. Regular resurfacing is part of maintaining road infrastructure.