St. Louis artists tackle pothole problem in unique way
Some St. Louis artists are hoping to solve the city’s pothole problem by filling them with cement and decorating them with mosaics.
By Deion Broxton
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ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — Some St. Louis artists are hoping to solve the city’s pothole problem in a creative way.
Paige Sinclair and Lu Ray Waldemer are local St. louis artists and educators who grew tired of the hundreds and sometimes thousands of potholes in the City of St. Louis. The two recently started filling potholes with cement and decorating them with mosaics. Potholes have been filled in places like Dogtown, Grand Center and South City.
Monday, the two filled a pothole at Jefferson Avenue and Victor Street.
“I’m tired of these potholes. I know everybody else is too,” Waldemer said. “As a artist, I think it’s cool to just kind of continue with–like–the community engagement, doing something that’s problem-solving and creative. It’s hard to find a reason not to do something like this.”
Waldemer said an artist in Chicago inspired her to fill potholes with mosaics. Waldemer and Paige are recipients of the Luminary Futures Fund Grant. The grant ranges from $2,500 to $8,000 for innovative art that supports cities across the country like St. Louis.
The two also received a grant from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis to host workshops to teach other residents how to fill potholes with mosaics.
Waldemer said 50-pound bags of concrete can cost around $5 each and the mosaics used for this project can cost $3 to $10 per piece. The mosaics can consist of dozens of pieces.
The City of St. Louis sent News 4 the following information regarding potholes:
“As of June 30, the City has filled 3353 potholes this year, and 401 Citizens Service Bureau requests for potholes are in progress to be filled.
While we appreciate the creativity of St. Louisans to address everyday problems, we strongly discourage filling potholes themselves: It is dangerous work and filling them with materials other than asphalt may require more work for City workers to fully repair. The best way to ensure potholes are filled is to report them to the Citizens Service Bureau at 314.622.4800 or via the City’s website.”
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