The sinkhole located at 401 Jefferson St. has been repaired and at his 2023 State of the City Address on Feb. 1, Mayor Ronnie Williams Jr. announced that work to reroute the sewer line should begin on Feb. 6. This major work was set to begin sooner, but wet conditions caused a delay in the project. The sinkhole was 12 feet deep, 12 feet wide, and 20 feet in length, running along the length of the old sewer line. It’s hard to say what caused the sinkhole to form, or how long it’s been forming. It could have been a matter of weeks, or several years depending on the soil type and ground saturation in the area.
The existing sewer line has been abandoned and filled with a “flowable fill” concrete. Since this happened, the sewer line has been operating on a bypass pump system. Construction to reroute the line should take 10 to 14 days to complete. This will include tearing out the manhole at the intersection, installing a new one, and running a new sewer line. During the time of construction, the roadway will be closed to thru traffic at the Intersections of Jefferson and Poete, Jefferson and Amulet, Amulet and Second St. and the Intersection of Jefferson and Touline St.
Please adhere to traffic signs and use caution when traveling near the worksite. Updates will be provided as needed.
