SOUTH BEND – It may be a little early in the season, but local roads are already taking a hit. Potholes are popping up everywhere.

Potholes don't usually become a problem until the end of winter. This year it's been different because of all the rain we've seen. Water is getting into the cracks, so the road gets ripped up when cars drive over it.

“In November we got some snow, thought we'd be normal, and then it warmed back up and all the heavy rain and now refreeze, and heavy traffic again is beating the pavement up and we're dealing with potholes right now,” said Pat Condon of the Indiana Toll Road

Crews have been doing the best to fix them, but asphalt plants recently closed for the winter and that has caused problems in patching the holes.

"So we're using what's called a cold patch material, it will go in and it will fill the holes,” explained Condon. “It will do a real good job until we have a lot of rain."

Those asphalt companies will be open again closer to the spring and that will help with the problem, but until then we can expect some bumps in the road.

For information on how to report a pothole, and how to request reimbursement for damage from driving over a pothole, go to News Links.