Saskatoon commuters will need to consider an alternate route on their drive home or they might end up in a ‘sinking’ situation, after a vehicle got stuck in a sinkhole at the intersection of Preston Avenue and Adelaide Street in Saskatoon on April 11, 2022.
The cause of the sinkhole has yet to be determined, but City of Saskatoon workers are working to determine the cause.
“We aren’t able to speak to the details of recent sink hole occurrences, since excavation may be necessary to determine specifics,” stated Brendan Lemke, City of Saskatoon director of water and waste operations.
“Generally speaking, sinkholes like these are not common. However, what can happen at this time of year is that depending on the type of break, a water main break can end up melting the thick layer of frost above and create unstable soil conditions or even voids.”
The city stated that with larger diameter pipes and more severe breaks, this can evolve rather quickly and they have no way of knowing whether an accumulation of water on the surface would indicate this type of scenario.
“As soon as we are made aware of a potential break, crews are dispatched to the locations and they will complete a preliminary investigation, potentially operate valves to isolate water flows, and prepare for additional investigation and ultimate repair,” stated the press release.
Workers have placed pylons and barricades in the roadway as a warning and best attempts are made to block off areas as circumstances allow.
Meanwhile, residents are encouraged to watch for pylons or barricades and avoid driving through any large puddle or marked areas.
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