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CHICAGO, Illinois (WBBM) -- While most drivers dread dodging holes in the street, residents near one block in Logan Square are fighting to not fix but instead to preserve a massive hole in the middle of their road.
The gaping pothole that sits squarely in the intersection of Belden and St. Louis avenues has been called an eyesore by some, but is also winning over tons of fans.
"We welcome this. We would like more in the neighborhood," resident Martha Jungers said.
It isn't exactly the aesthetics that are wowing locals, but more the impact that the roughly 16-by-16-foot crater is having on the neighborhood. One of the positive impacts being credited to the pothole is, ironically, safety.
"I think it's a good thing," resident Emmanuel Ortega said. "It's helping people slow down."
Residents report that high speeds have long been an issue on the block. So when the large hole emerged earlier this month, so did an online campaign, complete with the hashtag #SaveTheHole, as neighbors believe it has been forcing drivers to slow down.
"In this particular area, you have a lot of kids who like to take off like this is a speedway or something," Jungers said.
According to the office of 35th Ward Alderman Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, the hole will be only temporary, as its in the early stages of becoming a traffic circle being built by the Illinois Department of Transportation. It's the outcome, a spokesperson says, of growing concerns among residents over pedestrian and traffic safety in the area.
Residents say there were at least two drive-by shootings last summer. The intersection, they say, has also been a favorite for drivers to cut through when coming off or going on nearby Fullerton Avenue.
"You hear it more at night," Ortega said. "So there is a sense here that this is going to help that."
Residents hope it's the beginning of a much-needed change in a neighborhood where, in some cases, stop signs have little to no impact. But as for the future of the beloved hole that has grown on some neighbors, the traffic circle is expected to be completed by mid-October.
