Last August, some homeowners in Lee Valley were shocked to learn about a sinkhole on 108th Street and how their roadways soon became a complex web of detours.
But now another surprise awaits them.
The sinkhole repair between Blondo Street and Dodge Road is near completion, according to a Facebook announcement by Mayor Jean Stothert.
“I'm very relieved,” says Jamie Lancaster, a father to young children. “It's been a lot of traffic since the construction started."
Last summer, a sinkhole washed away the shoulder of 108th Street which forced drivers to adjust their commute.
Residential streets soon turned into highways, compelling Lancaster to keep his children away from the front yard.
“It makes us a little nervous when there are cars coming by very quickly. They don't tend to slow down for the neighborhood very much,” he says.
The speeding cars got so bad that during Halloween, neighbors used flashing lights to try to get the drivers’ attention.
“They would slow down, but it worked,” says Bonnie, who did not give a last name. “That's all that counted because kids would get excited and they just want to get more candy across the street.”
Even adults had to be cautious, says Lancaster.
“I was putting the recyclable boxes out one night and I had a close call with a car,” he says. “Came about two feet from me – splashed some water on me – going about, I would guess 35.
Months after the road closed, some commuters figure out a way around the construction – by cutting through the work zone.
