Tired of waiting, neighbors fill potholes themselves in North Philadelphia

People who live along the 3300 block of Mutter Street in North Philadelphia say they have been waiting since the end of last winter for the city to repair their crumbling roadway.

This past Saturday, those same neighbors decided to do something before winter returns this coming December.

Gladys Martinez says, "All the gentlemen got together. One of the girls took out the hose, another one got the cement, another one got the bricks, and they all got together on the block and did it."

In the end, they spent nearly $500 on cement and needed supplies. And folks who live here say it's not just about providing a smooth ride for cars and trucks.

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Luis Negron was among those who volunteered. He says, "Little kids were falling down, tripping on the potholes. Two other people hurt their ankles. One person broke his ankle. It was a bad situation that was only getting worse."

Action News reached out to the city's Streets Department, which referred us to PGW.

Apparently, this street is crumbling around the stretch where a gas main was upgraded six years ago. But officials from PGW say their warranty on road repairs only lasts five years.

So, while this community keeps working to figure out who is responsible for maintaining their local roadway, at the very least the 3300 block of Mutter Street is smoother than it was.

Martinez says, "If you notice, it's not a great job, but it's good enough. Yes, we're satisfied."

These folks also say they are keeping all the receipts on the off-chance that either the city or PGW will, some day, give them their money back.