The mystery surrounding the recurring sinkhole at the corner of Winnipeg and Carney has been solved and workers are now in a position to carry out repairs, according to city hall.
Enough water has been drained from the site to unveil a failure in a storm sewer pipe about three metres north of a manhole. The city said the section in question is about six metres long and has partially collapsed below groundwater.
"Holes of up to 10 inches in diameter have formed on the pipe and, during large rainfall events, water flows suck nearby material into the pipe and cause sinkholes," the city said in a press release issued Monday afternoon.
The southbound lanes of Winnipeg Street will be closed starting Tuesday and will remain that way until further notice to allow workers to remove the damaged section and replace it with a concrete chamber which the city said "will restore the integrity of the pipe and allow for easier maintenance of the storm system."
The work is expected to last a few more weeks, the city said, and urged drivers to be patient and cautious and to follow signage when around road crews and to seek alternate routes
Earlier this summer, a temporary dam was installed to allow enough water to be removed from around the sinkhole to get a better look at what might be causing the trouble. The site has been the scene of ongoing trouble with sinkholes.
