The City of Pittsburgh Department of Mobility and Infrastructure has determined that 10th Street between Penn and Liberty avenues in the city's downtown will remain closed an estimated eight weeks after a sinkhole occurred in the area earlier this week.
Penn Avenue reopened early Tuesday following the removal of a Port Authority of Allegheny County bus from the sinkhole. Liberty Avenue is also open. Traffic continues to be impacted around the area however, and a small portion of the Penn Avenue bike lane is closed, forcing bicyclists to use the traffic lane.
A contractor is in the process of removing concrete and debris from the hole, and then utilities will work on securing the fiber infrastructure at the site. Once that work is completed the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority will assess any damage to water, sewer and storm lines at the site and make any repairs needed.
There are a host of utilities impacted by the sinkhole, which the city says will complicate the restoration effort.
The city says the street cannot be restored until all utility repairs are complete. Once those repairs are done, the sinkhole will be filled up to the subgrade level and a new concrete street will be poured. Sidewalks and curbs in the affected area will also be restored. All of the road maintenance work will take an estimated eight weeks to complete.
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SOURCE: City of Pittsburgh
