A banana tree drew attention to a massive hole in a Murray Hill road, but Councilman Peluso says it’s far down on the city’s long infrastructure repair backlog.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — It was a striking sight: A massive hole in the road recently became so bad that a neighbor planted a banana tree inside it. Photos of the tree drew widespread attention on social media, and now, First Coast News is looking for answers on when it could be repaired.
Neighbors say they are frustrated and concerned about the road hazard near the intersection of Hamilton and Polaris streets. We reached out to City Councilmember Jimmy Peluso, who represents the area, to find out when the city plans to fix it.
This story continues below.
What we learned: It may not happen anytime soon.
When we visited Murray Hill, the size of the problem was hard to miss. The hole is about 27 inches deep – more than two feet – and more than a yard wide.
And, as neighbors Wednesday pointed out, it is big enough for someone to plant a tree in it.
But behind the unusual sight is a serious concern for people who live nearby.
“I am genuinely worried,” Murray Hill resident Nicole Padre told us.
Neighbors said the road is frequently used as a shortcut, meaning drivers regularly have to maneuver around the hole.
Dale McAdam said that can create another problem for people walking nearby.
“Cars are always having to avoid it, which can bring it into our walking path,” McAdam said.
Peluso told First Coast News the problem is now being treated as more than a typical pothole. He referred to it as a sinkhole and said repairing it could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And there is another obstacle: the city’s backlog of road projects.
Peluso said this particular repair is approximately 400th on the city’s list of road priorities.
For residents who have been watching the hole grow, that came as a surprise.
“400th on the list? Oh my goodness,” Padre said. “That is crazy that we have that many problems in our city.”
McAdam also questioned why a road safety concern would have to wait.
“That seems ridiculous,” he said. “Kind of seems like something that you’d want to get fixed if you’re concerned about road safety.”
Peluso told us funding is a major reason the repair hasn’t happened yet.
The city has nearly $40 million budgeted for road resurfacing, but Peluso said it would take about $50 million to address the backlog more quickly.
“I don’t want people to think that we aren’t doing anything,” Peluso said. “I want people to know the government is not ignoring them.”
Peluso also said older neighborhoods like Murray Hill can require additional infrastructure investment.
“My City Council doesn’t always realize these older communities and older neighborhoods need even more attention,” he said. “That’s why it’s important for us to invest in infrastructure to help fix these problems early and often.”
For now, there is no exact timeline for when this particular hole will be repaired.
“It is very disappointing to hear that it won’t be fixed and it’s not on top of the list,” Padre said. “But I do hope somehow, some way, we do get that funding.”