We've gotten tons of e-mails and phone calls from people upset about potholes.

Mike Harrell of South Bend has a Good Question: What temperature does it have to be to have street department crews filling the potholes?

As WSBT Kirk Mason found out while temperature can be a factor, it's not the major factor.

Temperature plays a big role in the development of potholes. This winter temperatures have gone up and down a lot. So much so the head of Mishawaka's street department told WSBT News this is the worst he's ever seen it. And many drivers agree.

“I have a 24-year-old daughter and we've had to replace three tires within the last eight days,” one driver told WSBT News. "They had to re-melt the rim itself for the tire to go back on."

“You're better off driving a tank than a car,” said another driver.

“We've been on vacation,” said another. “We were gone two weeks and we came back and all of a sudden there are potholes all over the place!”

Both Mishawaka and the operator of the Toll Road say even in this week's extreme cold potholes can be repaired. The problem is it needs to be dry for an extended period, and that's not been the case with more snow falling.

“They're going to need to tear up every street in town to start all over again!” one driver laughed.

But the extreme cold hasn't helped, testing the patience of drivers. That's because crews have had a hard time clearing streets off so they could dry out.

The head of Mishawaka's street department says four to five straight days of dry weather would be the best cure for our pothole problem.