Sink hole Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Crews Complete Temporary Bridge Construction Near Hinton Sinkhole Site

West Virginia Division of Highways crews from across the state worked in Hinton over the weekend to construct a temporary bridge. It’s the second temporary solution to a large sinkhole that formed more than four months ago.

The bridge “kit” was prefabricated and put together beside the sinkhole on state Route 20.

The bridge is temporary until a permanent, 300-foot steel drainage structure under the road can be installed. The division hopes to put the permanent repair out for bid by late next month.

Earlier repair plans were halted after crews found toxic levels of lead on site. The department of highways plans to install a 300-foot steel drainage structure.

The sinkhole appeared in June in front of the Hinton Police station after a 90-year-old drain under the road failed. The sinkhole is unlike any other, with a very fine ash material washing away beneath both a police station and the roadway itself.

Crews worked over the summer to install a temporary culvert and fill material under the road. This worked until heavy rains washed out the material and made the sinkhole larger.

Route 20 in Hinton was reopened to traffic on Sunday, Nov. 20.

Second Temporary Sinkhole Solution Planned In Summers County

After months of trouble with a sinkhole in Summers County, the West Virginia Division of Highways plans to build a temporary bridge.

DOH crews will build the bridge so traffic can return on state Route 20 in Hinton. The temporary structure will be built beginning Friday, Nov. 18. The process includes attaching several bolts individually.

The bridge will sit above the sinkhole until permanent repairs to a collapsed drainage pipe can be made.

The sinkhole appeared in June in front of the Hinton Police station when a 90-year-old drain under the road failed.

Crews worked over the summer to install a temporary culvert and fill material under the road. This worked until heavy rains from Hurricane Nicole washed out the material on Friday, Nov. 11. This made the sinkhole larger.

Permanent construction plans were also halted after crews found toxic levels of lead on site. The department of highways plans to install a 300-foot steel drainage structure.

Crews from the WVDOH central office in Charleston, District 9, and District 10 will start work this weekend. The 125-foot bridge will be long enough to span the existing hole, even if the hole gets bigger before contractors can replace the collapsed drainage structure.

The detour during construction will be WV 3 (Hinton to Shady Spring), US 19 (Shady Spring to Beaver), WV 307 (Beaver to Airport Road), Interstate 64 (Airport Road to Sandstone), and WV 20 (Sandstone to Hinton).

While construction plans for a permanent repair have been hampered by the discovery of toxic levels of lead on site, Pack said WVDOH has come up with an alternate plan to fix the sinkhole without endangering the public, contractors or WVDOH work crews.

Pack said the WVDOH intends to complete plans to install a 300-foot steel drainage structure under the area and put a contract out to bid by the end of the year.

Sink Hole Closes Two Lanes of 5th Ave in Huntington

The right two lanes of 5th Avenue in Huntington are closed this afternoon because of the beginnings of a sink hole. The lanes are closed between 25th and…

The right two lanes of 5th Avenue in Huntington are closed this afternoon because of the beginnings of a sink hole. The lanes are closed between 25th and 27th streets in Huntington and will remain that way until further notice.

According to a press release from the city of Huntington, the Huntington Sanitary Board and it’s contractor will work through the weekend to determine the cause of the sink and then will repair the issue.