Linda Zunas took a creative approach to filling potholes in her Oakland neighborhood. Photo: Linda Zunas, May 2023
OAKLAND, Calif. - It's no secret that the Bay Area has a pothole problem. Over 15,000 of them were reported within the first four months of the year, and the number is growing. But one Oakland resident took matters into her own hands, adding a clever approach to getting them filled.
Linda Zunas got creative with the potholes in the 450-460 block of Clifton Street after multiple unanswered requests to the city: she turned them into planters. And to her surprise, the city came and filled the holes within hours of planting.
With buckets of fresh soil and a few dozen petunias and marigolds, she got to work last Tuesday with the help of her neighbors.
An Oakland resident filled potholes in her neighborhood with fresh soil and colorful flowers. Photo: Linda Zunas, May 2023
Linda Zunas filled potholes on Clifton Street in Oakland, May 2023.
Zunas told KTVU the potholes, some as deep as 10 inches, were dangerous enough they were almost causing accidents. She said drivers were swerving to miss them, almost hitting traffic on the other side and startling bicyclists and pedestrians.
"I wanted to draw attention to them to make the road safer, and make people smile," Zunas said, adding she even recruited neighbors to help water the flowers.
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While she was planting, an Oakland officer assigned to patrol the area drove by and stopped.
"He asked if I was in fact planting flowers in the potholes and then said he just wanted to make sure I was safe," Zunas explained. "Then he said, ‘I shouldn’t say this, but this is brilliant.'"
She's not sure if that officer called it in to the city, but within 4 hours the potholes were fixed.
"RIP flowers but yay!" posted Zunas to her Nextdoor group.
Zunas said it’s been a positive experience, even if outside the box, and now the neighborhood can breathe a little sigh of relief.