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Huffman neighborhood ditch prompts safety concerns from neighbors BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - A man who lives near a ditch off Hillcrest Avenue in the Huffman neighborhood said exposed utility pipe and erosion in a ditch have created a safety concern for drivers and neighbors. Patrick Rhodes moved into his home off School Terrace more than 40 years ago. He said the ditch has been there nearly the entire time. Rhodes said he has submitted 311 requests and contacted city leadership, but the issue persists. “It just kept eroding, and as you can see, the street is falling in,” Rhodes said. The ditch shows exposed utility pipes, rocks, and parts of the pavement, according to Rhodes. Rhodes said the city fixed the ditch at one point, but the issue returned after a gas line was worked on nearly seven years ago. “The city came out, and they put gravel in there and concrete over it, and it was fine until the gas company dug it up again,” Rhodes said. The street leads down to Huffman Middle School. Rhodes said he is worried about students who walk to school. “The kids don’t have any place to go. It’s a narrow street, and if there’s two cars coming, they’re out of luck,” Rhodes said. Rhodes said he and his neighbors have filled the ditch with different materials over the years to try to slow the erosion. He said he is hoping for a more permanent solution. “If the city came out and filled up the ditch where the asphalt is and they put concrete over it, it’ll last, ya know?” Rhodes said. WBRC reached out to the city of Birmingham and Spire about the issue. A spokesperson for Spire told WBRC, “We’ve looked through our records and can’t find any work we’ve done out there. We have no knowledge of an issue there, and we’ve never been told about this until you called today.” The city told WBRC they were looking into the issue. On Friday, Rhodes said the city was out working on the ditch, filling it with gravel. Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here. Copyright 2026 WBRC. All rights reserved.