By Sarah Richardson
On Monday, Aug. 25, it was discovered that a sinkhole had opened up at the intersection of Court and Foster Streets in downtown Lewisburg. The area was roped off, and members of Public Service District #1 (PSD) working in conjunction with Public Works employees immediately began evaluating the area. It was discovered that a sewer pipe had broken and was leaking, however, City Manager Misty Hill reports that they won’t be able to determine which came first, a leaking sewer pipe forming a sinkhole, or a sinkhole forming that caused the sewer pipe to leak and collapse.
“Was it the chicken or the egg? We won’t be able to tell,” she stated.
As of press time on Thursday afternoon, several dedicated crews from the City, PSD, and other agencies were full steam ahead on finishing out the excavation portion of the repair, not a small task. Several excavators were brought to the site to dig out the collapsed portion and survey the damage, causing the roadway to be closed for vehicle traffic. However, the public can still access all of the storefronts located on both Court and Foster Street in that intersection on foot. At this time, all stores at the location are open for regular business hours while repairs are ongoing.
City officials state that this sinkhole is separate from the grated hole located directly beside it at the same intersection. The grated sinkhole was originally an injection well, the first one of which was installed in 1955. In 2009, Chapman Technical upgraded the grate cover for the 60-foot-deep hole, which is engineered to withstand the weight of a semi truck and other oversized traffic. This new sinkhole and sewer pipe repair is just beside it, but still independent, despite an extensive amount of digging happening at the site.
The excavation of the area means that the sewer lines and water line were both severed, however, thanks to a valve that was installed on Foster Street in 2020, there should be no water service interruptions or boil water advisories to the downtown region.
Hill thanks the public for their patience as work continues, and stated that they are appreciative of the public avoiding the area. “We do appreciate the public staying away from the site while they are working, because we can keep the repairs up at an uninterrupted pace,” she said. “Everyone has been very respectful of staying behind the barricades.”
As for any interesting finds in the hole, “We have not found Batboy, any vehicles, or any train cars,” she laughs. “Just water and sewer lines so far.”
She said that the City and PSD are “mindful” of upcoming holidays and events like Taste of our Towns (TOOT), and they hope to get things drivable and stabilized “as quickly as we are able to do so safely.” After an initial repair is completed, the possibility remains that more extensive work may be needed at a future time. More information will be available as work continues.
