FRANKLIN

The rain is to blame for the delay in completing work on the sinkhole that developed late evening on Oct. 31 in the 100 block of West Second Avenue. Russ Pace, the city’s director of Public Works, said on Monday that “tentatively,” it could be Wednesday before workers can return.

On Thursday morning of last week, Pace and Deputy Director Chad Edwards had determined that the failed area was on a sanitary sewer main, located 9 feet beneath the asphalt at the downstream structure located in Franklin Street.

A contractor, Lewis Construction, had to be called in because the city doesn’t have the needed equipment for such a repair. Excessive groundwater initially hindered both the repair and the contractor’s ability to locate the solid pipe to which the replacement sewer line would need to connect. A TV inspection truck was expected to find that pipe and help determine where to dig.

On Friday, a wellpoint system was installed and pumped water over the weekend, said Pace. Dry sand is also needed

Though he stressed the tentativeness of the work return date, the director did said that what is sure is that as soon as the weather clears, the crew would be back to making the repair.

The Tidewater News will continue to provide updates as information becomes available.