CINCINNATI — A sinkhole has opened in a crosswalk at the intersection of East 8th Street and Walnut Street in downtown Cincinnati.
Walnut Street will be closed between 8th and 9th streets on Wednesday while crews begin repairs.
Cincinnati Public Services said the hole is 13 feet 3 inches deep, but officials said they didn't measure the width of the hole. The Metropolitan Sewer District of Greater Cincinnati (MSD) said their investigation shows the sinkhole appears to have been caused by the partial collapse of an old brick sewer pipe.
The combined sewer line was installed in 1881 and is roughly 35 inches wide and 45 inches tall, MSD said.
Update, May 25: Walnut St is expected to be closed to thru traffic later this morning b/w 8th & 9th once crews begin repairs on the sewer line collapse that caused a sinkhole at its intersection with 8th. Public transit allowed. Detour via 9th to Race to 7th, back to Walnut. https://t.co/G9sr8P0Vvx pic.twitter.com/jERiQc05Oc
— Roadmap Cincy (@RoadmapCincy) May 25, 2022
No one has been injured as a result of the sinkhole and no vehicles or property was damaged, but the area has been blocked off with cones and yellow tape. MSD said they plan to place three large, steel plates over the hole on Tuesday evening.
Two of the four westbound lanes of East 8th Street have been closed and will remain closed until the road can be repaired, MSD said. Walnut Street and the streetcar line running along Walnut aren't affected by the sinkhols.
MSD did not say how long repairs would take; MSD plans to video the sewer on Wednesday to determine the extent of the damage and said they will release more information as they learn more from the investigation.
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