PORTLAND, Ore. -- Masked anarchists are taking the city’s pothole problems into their own hands.
“I appreciate the effort,” said Eric Hollstein.
Hollstein lives on Southeast Salmon and his street is littered with one pothole after another.
“It’s frustrating for sure,” he said. “It makes a mess in the street.”
The pothole fixers have posted photos of their work on the Facebook page, Portland Anarchist Road Care.
Successful preliminary action today. We patched 5 potholes on SE Salmon, between 37th and 39th. We will observe them...
Posted by Portland Anarchist Road Care on Tuesday, February 28, 2017
“Great job trying to be a helpful citizen, but not necessarily successful at all times maybe,” said Hollstein.
Neighbor Tom Satchell could not be more impressed by the anarchists’ work.
“They don’t need to be masked,” said Satchell. “They’re doing a great job.”
The city does not see it like that. A spokesman for the Portland Bureau of Transportation says what the anarchists are doing is a bad idea.
“It’s not safe for them because there is traffic on the streets and they can potentially put themselves at risk and the public at risk if the repair isn’t done properly,” said Dylan Rivera.
Rivera says leave it to the pros. Just last Friday, Rivera said, city crews fixed more than 900 potholes. The work can only be done when it is dry.
In fact, the bureau just listed a job opening for an asphalt raker.
“Every sunny day we get we’re sending additional crews out focusing on just potholes,” he said.
Until those potholes are patched you are urged to drive carefully.
“You can damage your car,” said Hollstein.
We connected with this anarchist group by email. They said they plan to continue patching potholes as long as they have the time and money.