STAR CITY, W.Va. – Investigative excavation at the site of the Star City sinkhole along Monongahela Boulevard is expected to begin as soon as the Division of Highways (DOH) is able to verify all utilities in the area, according to Deputy State Highways Engineer for the DOH, Joe Pack.
As for the right-of-issue and responsibility, Pack said there are a multitude of things in DOH easements and rights-of-ways, but that doesn’t always mean the state owns it, or is responsible.
“Even your paper box very well could be within the Division of Highway’s right-of-way and not always does that imply that it is complete ownership and the Division of Highways has complete authority over what happens there,” Pack said.
Pack said the DOH does have an 8-foot diameter storm sewer line that runs from Popenoe Run to the Monongahela River under the area. Inspectors have walked the length of that drainage system and have not found problems. The DOH has also received mapping data from MUB on the location of their facilities in the area for review.
“There are some underground utilities that could be an issue,’ Pack said. “But, there is also another smaller drain line in the area that could be part of the issue.”
Before any investigative excavation can begin all utilities in the work area must be located and marked. But, Pack said you’ll be seeing activity in the former parking lot of the Texas Roadhouse soon.
“If there are no utilities that are going to be in the way we’ll just start digging as fast as our excavator can dig,” Pack said. “Once we get into the area were we can determine the issue we’ll address it.”
Pack referred to operation as a process of elimination. When excavation begins, crews will looking out for unauthorized sewer hookups to the system, a major facility failure or a problem with property owned by another utility.
“It could as simple as a joint of pipe has become separated and just needs to be repaired,” Pack said. ” We’re hoping that’s what the case is.”
Pack is confident they will find the problem, but how long that takes is as much a mystery as the problem.
“Cost at this point is not really a consideration for us until we determine what the source is,” Pack said. “If it’s a waterline issue, a sewerline issue or one of our drain pipes the appropriate party will step up and do the right thing.”