The initial sinkhole was repaired by city crews, but the new depression, which is about two feet wide and two feet deep, has sparked new concerns from neighbors.
Jesse Stewart, Salt Lake City’s deputy director of public utilities, said the problem was most likely caused by a water line break earlier this month.
“We had a water line break in early June. It was repaired on June 6,” Stewart stated. “This new depression is probably the result of water from that break running underground and creating a void.”
Despite the smaller size of the second collapse, Stewart stated that the city is not taking any chances.
“They’re going to go back over it, excavate down, put in good backfill, compact it and lay new asphalt,” he told me.
Bradley Nordegren, another long-time resident, expressed relief at seeing the crews back at work.
“Hopefully they’ll find the source of the problem so it doesn’t keep happening,” according to Nordegren.
Stewart urged residents to report any signs of road buckling or collapse right away.
“If people see anything unusual, they should call public works right away,” he told me.
Salt Lake City Public Utilities can be contacted at (801) 483-6700 or online at www.slc.gov/utilities.
