# Vigilante Urban Repair Initiatives Portland Anarchist Road Care Fills Potholes When the City Can't By Michael Hines | Published 2017-03-30 | Social Good Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/portland-anarchist-road-care References: [laughingsquid](http://laughingsquid.com/portland-anarchist-road-care-skilled-workers-who-voluntarily-fix-roads-when-local-government-wont/) & [facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PortlandAnarchistRoadCare) Portland Anarchist Road Care is a group of [community activists](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/community-to-the-people) working to fix damaged roads in the City of Roses. The city faced an unusually harsh winter this year which left many of its roads pocked with potholes. According to Portland Anarchist Road Care, city officials were slow to act or refused to act at all. That's when the group took matters into its own hands, heading out onto the streets to [fill potholes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/active-worksite). There's another motivation behind the Portland Anarchist Road Care's direct action. The masked road workers want to show the public that anarchists aren't just people who destroy storefronts and cars during peaceful protests. To them [civil disobedience](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clean-something-for-nothing) can be harnessed to directly benefit communities, such as when citizens take matters into their own hands to improve the conditions of their streets. As America's aging infrastructure continues to crumble more citizens across the country may begin to take matters into their own hands. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.6/10 - Popularity: 48% | Activity: 21% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Social Good](https://www.trendhunter.com/socialgood) > [Activism](https://www.trendhunter.com/activism) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Direct Civic Action:** The trend of citizens taking matters into their own hands to improve their communities' infrastructure. - **Anarchist Activism:** The trend of anarchist groups using direct action to challenge societal norms and benefit their communities. - **Alternative Infrastructure Maintenance:** The trend of community-led initiatives to maintain and repair infrastructure in the absence of government support. ### Where This Applies - **Construction:** Disruptive innovation opportunities in the construction industry to explore alternative, community-driven approaches to infrastructure maintenance. - **Activism:** Disruptive innovation opportunities in the activism industry to support and amplify community-led initiatives for infrastructure improvement. - **Local Government:** Disruptive innovation opportunities in the local government sector to enhance public participation and collaboration in infrastructure maintenance projects. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Humorous Pothole-Inspired Donuts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/voodoo-doughnut-pothole-doughnut.md) - [Creative Protest Archives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pocket-protests.md) - [Urban Robot Traffic Safety](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/polis.md) - [Pedicab Shuttle Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/go-by-bike.md) - [Community-Driven Accessibility Feedback Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/iaccess-program.md) - [Plumbing Company-Branded Coffee Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/spread-the-love.md) - [Neighborly Contracting Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pigybak-ride.md) - [Salt-Infused Roadway Asphalts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asphalt-additive.md) - [Waste Tarp-Made Public Seating](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/membran-collective.md)