A massive sinkhole that shut down Southeast Marine Drive near Main Street has finally been repaired, the City of Vancouver announced Thursday.
All lanes between Main and Fraser streets reopened at 3 p.m., two weeks after the 14-metre-wide sinkhole forced the road closed.
Murray Wightman, manager of street operations for the city, said cleanup went well in light of the number of agencies involved in the repair.
He said the sinkhole was caused by overflow from a water line, which “started to break down and peel away the road’s sub-base, which then collapsed under the weight of the asphalt.”
Repair of the sinkhole required around-the-clock collaboration between multiple agencies, the city said in a release.
“Metro Vancouver crews completed the repair … at the bottom of the sinkhole using a rapid concrete curing process.”
City crews worked quickly to repair the water main, fill in the sinkhole and pave the road.
“Commuters, residents and local businesses are thanked for their patience as work to fix the large sinkhole proceeded as quickly as possible.”
