Repairs at sinkhole site impacting traffic in downtown New Phila
NEW PHILADELPHIA (WJER) (Aug. 22, 2022) – Work is continuing to permanently mend the massive sinkhole that appeared along a downtown street the day after Memorial Day.
City Service Director Ron McAbier says the 100-block of Second Street NE will remain closed until Friday so crews can re-excavate the crater and install two new man holes, which should prevent further issues there.
“Hopefully, we’ll never have to revisit that again,” he says. “It’s all new pre-formed concrete so to compromise something like that is completely different than the brick man holes we have around town.”
The city is also temporarily closing East High and Fair between First and Second drives beginning Tuesday so workers can use a pump to reroute the storm sewers around the work site.
“And then after Wednesday, and it may even be Wednesday by noon, the construction site will just be compacted into just Second Street again.”
The posted detour will take eastbound drivers along State Route 39, Fourth Street Southeast, Front Avenue, and onto Fourth Street Northwest where they’ll be able to turn back onto Fair or High.
“And coming in, they’re going to have them go to the square and go south and then go east onto Front and then go down to Fourth Street and hook back up to 39 right there.”
McAbier says the bank, funeral home, and parking lots for the county courthouse complex will remain accessible during the temporary closures. Municipal court visitors can park in the lot behind the city building or the spaces across from the police station.