You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 12:02 p.m.

Washtenaw County drain commission repairing sinkhole in Pittsfield Township

By Pete Cunningham

pittsfield-sinkhole.jpg

The Washtenaw County Water Resources crew works to dig up and replace an old storm sewer under the road on Seminole Court in Pittsfield Township Thursday morning after it caused a two-foot-by-three-foot and four feet deep sinkhole in the middle of the street.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

Construction crews with the Washtenaw County Water Resources Department were working on a sinkhole on Seminole Court in Pittsfield Township on Thursday morning believed to be caused by damage to a storm sewer.

A roughly two-foot-by-three-foot area sunk four feet into the middle of the road near a manhole cover on Monday. Officials with the water resources department were made aware of the sinkhole, located on Seminole Court in Pittsfield Township between Central Boulevard and Packard Road, on Monday and marked the area with cones and tape. The hole was not large enough to cause road closure, but the road was closed on Thursday as construction crews ripped up the road to replace the damaged pipe.

“The road was compromised, and so we flagged it off with tape and cones (on Monday),” said Dennis Wojcik, Washenaw County water resources deputy commissioner.

Wojcik said an assessment was done to see if any other utilities were adversely affected by the sinkhole. It is believed that the damage is contained to the 12-inch (diameter) storm sewer and the road above, but the extent of the damage is still unknown.

“That’s what we’re looking into,” Wojcik said. “We won’t know until we get down there.”

Workers estimated that the pipe would be replaced on Thursday and repaving should be done by Friday.


View Construction Reports 2012 in a larger map

Contact Pete Cunningham at Peter Cunningham at petercunningham@annarbor.com or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.

Comments

Robert Campbell

Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 9:49 p.m.

They would do some good if they would do something regarding the constant flow of water on Carpenter near Central. Excesses water is always moving earth into the gutter area. The road has had several repairs with patch material but never had the cause corrected. I would not be surprised to hear the two are connected.

Tom Todd

Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 8:21 p.m.

Wow I bet it's hot outside and the ground smells when opened up,keep up the good work and stay cool road workers.

Ron Granger

Thu, Jul 12, 2012 : 5:51 p.m.

I hope they can fix the sinkhole in my wallet if the county-wide taxing authority is granted to a new countywide transit board.