UPDATE: Crews worked throughout the night to fix a ruptured sewer line that is to blame for the sinkhole, which, the city says, has now been fixed.
A three-meter sinkhole at the entrance to Vancouver’s Granville Island has been causing major traffic disruptions.
The City of Vancouver says the sinkhole was caused by a ruptured sewer line, which shut down traffic completely Saturday morning. One-way alternating traffic has since been re-opened for personal vehicles, allowing drivers to get on and off Granville Island in their cars. The issue is expected to be fixed overnight.
Daniel Roberge, director of Water and Sewer Green Infrastructure with the City of Vancouver, said they discovered the problem in the morning and blocked traffic right away.
He says they won’t know the extent of the problem until crews start digging further around 5 p.m.
Roberge says the sewer station has been shut down, and trucks are removing liquid waste manually.
“If it is a simple fix, we think we will be done shortly before 12 tonight,” Roberge said. “At the latest, tomorrow at noon, we should have the road repaired and back in service.”
He says this is a very rare issue for the city to handle, and the sinkhole is not expected to grow.
He adds there are no health or safety concerns, and no environmental damage has been detected at this point.
WATCH: Daniel Roberge, director of Water and Sewer Green Infrastructure with the City of Vancouver, talks about the sinkhole that severely disrupted traffic in and out of Granville Island throughout the day.
Vancouver police told Global News they are assisting crews with traffic control. They are encouraging visitors to take transit, park off-site and walk, or ride their bikes onto the island while the restrictions are in place.
Granville Island spokesperson Scott Fraser says with single-lane alternating traffic now flowing through the island, they are still encouraging people to come down, but also look for alternative ways to get there.
“The Kidsfest is on this weekend, and they are still going full operation,” Fraser said. “All of the businesses are open for business. If you’re coming by bike or walking, your experience will not be affected at all.”
False Creek Ferries, which operate between Granville Island and downtown Vancouver, Tweeted earlier they were adding extra capacity to help get people on the island.