Many local auto-body shops report seeing less pothole-damaged cars this winter season.

“I’ve seen a great decrease from last year,” said Jon Bockman, owner of Bockman’s Auto Care, 705 E. Lincoln Highway.

Justin Hutchison, shop manager at Lovell’s Discount Tire, 424 E. Lincoln Highway, also said he has not seen as many pothole-damaged cars this year as he did last year.

Last year’s winter weather may not be entirely to blame. Instead, it could be the city’s effort to fix the areas commonly known to be full of potholes.

“Last spring, the city was very aggressive about the amount of new asphalt to be put down,” said Mark Espy, assistant public works director. “I think a lot of the areas that we had a lot of potholes in last year were repaired.”

Last year, the City of DeKalb received $100,000 from the Illinois Department of Transportation to repair potholes on their state routes, Ill. Route 38 and Ill. Route 23, Epsy said.

“Route 38 was resurfaced from Fourth Street to Cortland,” he said.

Bockman said he thinks the resurfacing of Route 38 made a big difference.

“Once they paved it, it seemed like it took care of a lot of damages we saw last year,” he said.
Regardless, Epsy said they are still getting the same amount of complaints as they did last year.

“We fix them as fast as we’re notified of them,” he said. “We send crews out when we’re not plowing snow.”

Pothole damage can be very expensive to fix.

Damage from potholes includes, but is not limited to, dented wheels and busted belts and tires.

“The cost to repair a car damaged by a pothole can be anywhere from right around $260...to over $1500,” Hutchison said.

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