Tree planted in pothole in protest of road conditions

FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK) - A Florida road is known locally for its pothole problem, and residents are tired of waiting to get the roadway fixed. So someone dug in deep to get the message across.

“I pulled up, and I’m like, ‘Is that really a tree in the middle of the road?’” said John Hulker, a Fort Myers resident.

It’s a sight you have to see to believe: a banana tree, planted in a pothole in the middle of the road.

“This is how we fix potholes in southwest Florida,” said Scott Shine, who works at the nearby business SWFL RV Rental and Sales.

The tree is no laughing matter, and neither is the pothole it’s growing in.

Cars driving down this road had to either veer left or right to get around the tree, just like they have to do if they see the pothole in time.

“The tree makes it harder to get around the next pothole that’s right next to it,” another Fort Myers resident Nicholas Angus said. “Because I usually just drive over the pothole, but now there’s a big tree. You can’t drive through a tree.”

Even in the rain, those behind the protest made sure the tree stayed in place, so their message gets through.

“I see a lot of cars come through here and they bottom out. You know you hear this big bang, and someone hit a hole,” Shine said.

Drivers in the area say it’s time to fix the potholes in the street.

“It messes up your tire, messes up the rim and then it basically messes up your day,” said Charlie Lopez, a resident from the neighboring town Cape Coral.

Since the roadway is a private street, the county is not responsible for repairs. It’s up to the private owner or owners to fix the problem.

“The message is there but unfortunately it’s going to be up to us to try to figure out a solution in the end,” Lopez said.