Thanks to freezing conditions, potholes are turning up throughout DeKalb.

Rick Monas, DeKalb Public Works director, sees potholes as a common occurrence during these cold times and finds it difficult to keep up with them due to frequent weather changes.

“There are a multitude of potholes in the city, and we try to patch roads quickly and keep them smooth as possible,” he said.

Monas said the cause of the potholes is this winter’s freezing and melting.

“We are going through a freeze/thaw cycle that has been causing the holes,” he said. “When the roads freeze and turn to ice and then thaw, it breaks up some of pavement up, creating potholes.”

Potholes take a toll on cars, too.

“People end up losing hubcaps and can get flat tires as a result from potholes,” Monas said.

He said motorists should use caution when on the roads and slow down when they see holes in the road.

“If anybody sees large and dangerous potholes, they should alert us right away so we can get them fixed as soon as possible,” Monas said.