PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — A large sinkhole in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia has become a growing safety concern and daily disruption after months of ongoing work, according to residents.
Those in the neighborhood along the 2900 block of Fanshawe Street say it started as a small problem in March and has expanded into a massive hole that has prompted concerns about children’s safety and limited parking.
Neighbors said the sinkhole has become an eyesore and a source of frustration as they wait for the work to be completed.
“You can’t miss this; it’s terrible. Just come out and help, take care of it, get rid of it. Whatever you can do to make it safer for our residents,” resident Rosanne Boudreaux said.
IMAGE: Drone 6 was over a massive sinkhole in Philadelphia’s Mayfair section on Sept. 29, 2026.
Parents in the neighborhood said they are worried about children getting too close to the hole. Other residents expressed concerns about parking. Mike Shelgosh said the situation has affected access to a handicapped parking space used by his wife.
“My wife needs to get in and out,” Shelgosh said.
Residents said they have seen crews working intermittently but were uncertain about the cause of the delays or when the project would be finished.
The Philadelphia Water Department said the hole is the result of a private contractor performing work through the department’s Homeowner Emergency Loan Program, or HELP, to address a defect on a property’s lateral connection to the city sewer system.
According to the department, the area has been barricaded to help ensure residents’ safety. The contractor discovered worsening conditions at the site on Friday and immediately stopped work. Plumbing work is expected to continue into next week, but no completion date has been announced.
The department said it appreciates neighbors’ patience during the project and encouraged residents to report unsafe conditions by calling 215-685-6300.
“It started at the end of March; you would think by the end of September it would be fixed months ago,” resident Shawna Tracey said.
Tracey said she has been documenting the situation since the spring.
Residents said they hope the street will return to normal before winter arrives. In the meantime, neighbors remain concerned about the potential for injuries.
“Is that what it’s gonna take to get this fixed? I really hope not,” Boudreaux said.
A resident living in the home directly in front of the sinkhole did not want to be interviewed but told Action News that the house currently does not have running water and they have made other arrangements to ensure their household has water or can access it elsewhere. It was not immediately clear how long that has been the case.
A request for comment was also made to City Councilmember Mike Driscoll who represents the area, but no response had been received as of the report.
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