NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
SINKHOLE REPAIR TO CLOSE PORTION OF S. FRONT STREET IN SHIPOKE FOR UP TO 2 WEEKS; TWO-WAY TRAFFIC TO BE TEMPORARILY PERMITTED FOR LOCAL RESIDENT EGRESS ON REMAINDER OF S. FRONT STREET TO SYCAMORE STREETHarrisburg, PA—Mayor Stephen R. Reed today said flood recovery work continues in the city and one of the projects will deal with underground water damage from the Tropical Storm Ivan flood that caused a large sinkhole to develop in the 500 block of S. Front Street in the Shipoke neighborhood, which will cause the temporary closure of a section of the street while repairs are made, Mayor Stephen R. Reed announced today. Work will begin Monday, November 1, and could take as long as several weeks depending upon the extent of damage. Two-way traffic will be permitted on the remainder of S. Front Street, from the 500 block south to Nagle Street during the closure so that Shipoke residents and visitors can exit the neighborhood to Sycamore Street. Reed said the large sinkhole was first discovered as floodwaters receded in mid-September, and is believed to have been caused by underground water subsidence from the flood and the earlier heavier rainfall. The washout created a large void that begins in Riverfront Park and extends about eight feet east underneath S. Front Street. Unaddressed, it will ultimately result in a collapse of the street. Because the road surface is all that remains above the void, S. Front Street from Conoy Street north to the Comfort Inn rear exit, a distance of about 300 feet, will be temporarily closed to through traffic while workers determine the extent of damage. If the void is found to extend under the entire street, a longer closure period will be necessary while repairs are made. “An extended closure will dramatically affect the ability of Shipoke residents to exit the area,” said the Mayor, “as S. Front Street is one-way north and therefore the usual way to get out of Shipoke given current street directional configurations. We are therefore allowing two-way traffic on that portion of S. Front Street from Conoy Street south to Nagle Street and on to Sycamore Street. Residents and others can still get into Shipoke from Race Street, which is unaffected by the S. Front Street closure.” Reed said once the sinkhole is fully excavated on Monday, crews will be able to better determine the extent of damage and whether a temporary steel plate can be placed over the voided area so as to allow continued vehicular access on S. Front Street to Paxton Street. If not, then the new traffic pattern of two-way traffic on the remainder of S. Front Street will have to be put into effect until repairs are completed, and temporary signage will be placed along S. Front St. advising motorists of the directional change. Motorists are urged to slow down and proceed with caution while using Front Street during the closure. “We regret the inconvenience this will cause Shipoke residents, and will do everything possible to quickly make repairs and reopen the street,” said Reed. “Until the repair work begins however, we won’t know the extent of the problem nor have a good idea of how quickly it can be safely returned to service.” It is not the only sinkhole caused by the recent flood. Others were found at multiple locations, involving some under streets, including in the 100 block of Hamilton Street, where another major repair project has just been completed. Other flood recovery work continues at other public sites, including City Island. XXX |
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