Crews work to clean out a sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Sept. 20, 2014 | Photo by Joyce Kuzmanic, St. George News
ST. GEORGE – Construction crews are in the process of installing new culvert pipes to replace corroded pipes that gave rise to a sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard in St. George Sept. 19. The appearance of the sinkhole resulted in a traffic closure for the eastbound right-hand lane of Sunset Boulevard approaching the Bluff Street intersection.
Motorists may experience more traffic delays than usual at the eastern end of Sunset Boulevard this weekend, due, in part, to increased traffic resulting from the Utah Education Association three-day weekend for school children.
“We’re installing a 72-inch concrete pipe, and it’s just been a dangerous situation with those guys working down there to get it stabilized so they can get down in there and get it set,” St. George Streets Superintendent Dave Terry said Friday. “They’re starting to install the pipe today, and once they get the first piece of concrete pipe set, then they’ll have to do some concrete grouting, and then once they’ve got it grouted they’ll add the – install the – three more pieces of pipe. And then we’ll get it covered up and the road will get opened back up.”
The eastbound right lane on Sunset leading to Bluff Street has been closed all week, Terry said, and will continue to be closed until completion of the project. The work will probably be completed by next Friday, Oct. 24, he said.
Suggested detour
Motorists traveling eastbound on Sunset may detour north via 1400 West to Snow Canyon Parkway eastbound and then connect to Bluff Street to avoid the traffic backup at the Sunset Boulevard-Bluff Street intersection.
Crews work to clean out a sinkhole on Sunset Boulevard, St. George, Utah, Sept. 20, 2014 | Photo by Joyce Kuzmanic, St. George News
Recap
A sinkhole first appeared on Sept. 19 when the front tire of a fuel tanker attempting to leave the Texaco gas station at the Valley View Drive/Sunset Boulevard intersection became stuck in the sinkhole. The sinkhole extended from beneath the sidewalk and out into part of Sunset Boulevard. On Sept. 20, Mike Dalton, the superintendent of Desert Hills Construction addressing the situation, said the sinkhole measured about 25 feet in diameter and 14 feet deep once he removed a section of concrete suspended over the sinkhole.
The contractor discovered a corroded culvert pipe that was the contributing cause of the sinkhole. Work has been ongoing to address the situation since Sept. 19.
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Email: jkuzmanic@stgnews.com
Twitter: @JoyceKuzmanic
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