Seniors fill pothole after crews fail to show up

Two seniors got so fed up waiting for city crews to fix a pothole on 91st Avenue near Saskatchewan Drive that they got out their shovels and did it themselves.

Cathy Walsh first called the city in June about a pothole she says was nearly big enough to swallow a car tire.

For weeks, nothing happened, not even an acknowledgement that her complaint had been received.

Then, on Monday, Walsh noticed two neighbours filling the pothole themselves.

"They were sweeping in and shoveling gravel from the road to fill it in," she said.

While Walsh is impressed by the initiative, she has concerns that thepairmay have put their own safety at risk.

"I think its dangerous that people are repairing their own potholes, this is a very busy intersection," she said.

Crews were on the street earlier this summer so city officials arent sure why the pothole wasnt filled then.

A crew showed up this week after the city received a call from CBC News, something the citys director of roadway maintenance says was a coincidence.

"When I contacted the district to see the status of that particular one yesterday after you contacted us, they indicated, well, its on tomorrow's schedule," Bob Dunford said.

Edmonton had a record number of potholes this year meaning crews had to first focus their attention on major roadways, meaning it can take six weeks to fix streets in residential areas.

"I realize it's trying people's patience, sometimes, to wait on this on the local roads but it is strictly a matter of volume," he said.

Walsh understands that city crews have a lot of work on their hands, but thinks that its silly that people have to take matters into their own hands.