DETROIT (WXYZ) — On Jan. 18, a woman unknowingly drove into a sinkhole near E. State Fair Avenue and Omira Street in Detroit. The city patched it up on Jan. 20 but had to return Thursday for a second round of work after complaints of damages to vehicles.
Bridgette Rudolph was taking her usual route on Jan. 19 when she drove her vehicle straight into a sinkhole that was covered in water. There was no signage or closures and she thought it may have just been puddle.
"Could have been a lot worse. But God is good," Rudolph said.
The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department explained the sinkhole was caused by a water main break due to freezing temperatures. Temporary asphalt was laid onto the problem area, but the patchwork quickly eroded, causing cars to hit their bumpers, the bottom of their vehicles and crash.
"Since (the patchwork), we've had a lot of rain and precipitation and freeze-thaw cycles. And if that water can get into the back fill of the hole, it can soften it up. And as traffic hits it, it starts to move around," Detroit Water and Sewerage Department Chief Operating Officer Sam Smalley said.
On Tuesday during the bout of snowfall Detroit saw, a car was caught on surveillance video going over the paved-over sinkhole, spinning out and hitting nearby business King Wrench Auto Care.
"It’s very dangerous for the road," mechanic at King Wrench Auto Care Jon Elias said. “The car came, smashed into the pothole and ran straight into the gate of the shop.”
Elias says he has seen multiple vehicles damaged due to the poor patchwork and hopes this second round is the final time.
"Sometimes, we miss something or don't do something as well as we need to in light of the environmental challenges that we're facing with all the rain and the freezing... But we appreciate everyone's patience," Smalley said.
Smalley added that a more permanent asphalt will be applied when concrete plants reopen around April.
