The first phase of work to fix a large sinkhole on Albina Street north of Gorge Road West in Saanich is underway, and it will mean further traffic headaches in the area.
The municipality says it will start by relocating water utility infrastructure and installing timber mats below the roadway.
The first phase will last from late September until mid-October.
It warns that the work will mean one-way traffic in each direction on Gorge Road West in the immediate area until October 4.
Gorge Road West will be fully closed at Albina from Sunday, October 6 to Friday, October 11, with westbound traffic detoured at Harriet Road.
BC Transit buses will also be rerouted.
Access to Albina from Gorge Road West remains closed.
The sinkhole was discovered beneath the asphalt on Albina Street in February.
It was originally about 30 centimetres by 60 centimetres, the size of an average shoebox, but by April it had grown big enough to fit an entire car.
It is believed to have been caused by the degrading of timber supports used for a sanitary sewer pipe installed in the 1950’s.
Municipality of Saanich
CHEK News
