PHILADELPHIA – An Overbrook neighborhood is dealing with a gaping hole in their street and no help, they say for two months.

What we know:

The hole is in the 1300 block of North Robinson Street in Overbrook. 

Residents say the problems started in July and the hole remains there two months later. 

They say on Thursday workers came by and put up equipment, orange mesh around the area and left a porta potty. But they say they were not city workers but private contractors. 

Residents know one can tell them when repairs will be made and it is affecting their quality of life.

FOX 29 reached out to the Philadelphia Water Department. 

A spokesperson says he is looking into the matter. We contacted the Streets Department but have not heard back yet.

What they’re saying:

“This is our problem. A big hole in the street,” said Diane Smart. She gave us cellphone video and pictures that show the early aftermath of what she says began as a water main break. It happened in an Overbrook neighborhood nearly two months ago. She also has cellphone video from August 14th that shows water gushing from what neighbors say was a sewer line break. Smart lives on the 1300 block of North Robinson Street and says it has been problem after problem.

“July 12th or something like that. They came out and fixed whatever because they had to turn our water off,” she said. Smart says two days later city workers came back.

“You could see the water coming out, coming up from the street and it was still a water main break but in a different spot,” she said.

Neighbors say they have been waiting for this gaping hole to be filled with dirt and their street fixed.

“We waited and waited and that was July. This is September,” said Smart.

Neighbors say communication with the city has been nearly non-existent.

“We’ve been calling, what’s that number, 311 and like everybody has been calling and nothing has been done,” said Geanitte Hines. She says the hole is limiting parking.

Some people park their cars on other streets but today she found a space at the top of the block.

“I walk with a cane so it’s kind of treacherous,” said Geanitte.

Dennis Clark says workers showed up this morning for the first time in a long time.

“We’ve not been given any solid information other than we’re working on it,” he said.

But residents say they were private contractors who came and put up this orange mesh around the hole, left huge equipment and a porta potty.

“There’s kids that come and they’re playing and we have to shoo them away from the hole. We are so afraid that someone is going to fall and hurt themselves,” said Smart.

“We’ve had the raccoons and possums,” she said. “It’s just horrible,” said Smart.

The Source: The information in this story is from Overbrook residents and the Philadelphia Water Department.

NewsPhiladelphia