OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — It was January 2 when a sinkhole opened up on 16th Street between Farnam and Harney. Neighbors have waited and advocated for repairs, which the city says are finally on the way.
Reporter Molly Hudson sits down with the city and OPPD in an exclusive interview, learning that infrastructure stability is a concern, which means they need to make repairs now.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
After months of waiting, the neighborhood will see work happening at the sinkhole starting September 8.
"It's about time, it's about time," said Tom Lamme, a Regis neighbor.
"It would be tragic if it takes a full year to get this taken care of," said Dennis Thiel, owner of Oxenfree, an event space right next to the sinkhole.
Austin Rowser with Omaha Public Works said his department has spent several months inspecting the damage and planning repairs.
"We are kind of at a point now where we believe, the city believes that, we need to take some action to get this resolved, as soon as possible," Rowser said.
The Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and the city confirmed that recent rainfall is causing their underground duct bank to erode, putting it at risk of collapse.
Molly: "What could that mean if it were to collapse at this point?"
"We would definitely experience some outages in downtown," said Todd Mclochlin, manager of utility coordination with OPPD. "We don't feel like we can leave it exposed for a longer period of time.
Here's a look at the work required and the timeline.
It will happen over the next 3 to 4 months. OPPD will start on 17th Street, building a new duct line, feeding it down the alley toward 16th Street.
At the same time, the city will put a coating on the Regis building's foundation to keep water and mud out.
"There may need to be some waterproofing that is done on the building in the future, that would be incumbent upon the building owner to take on that waterproofing, and we'll certainly leave allowance for them to be able to complete that repair in the future," Rowser said.
Once OPPD completes its work, the city can repair the damaged city sewer, fill the sinkhole, and repave the alley, with a goal for total completion by the end of the year.
"The sooner the better," Thiel said.
City officials emphasized that sewer and OPPD services are not expected to be disrupted during the repair process.
Details about road closures, lane restrictions, and impacts during repairs:
While OPPD is constructing a new duct line, the city will close 17th Street between Farnam and Harney Streets for 3-4 weeks. The alley will also be closed. OPPD will work with building owners on dumpster use and parking.
A section of 16th Street between Farnam and Harney Streets will also be closed for 3-4 weeks while the city applies the seal on the Regis building's foundation.
