YUBA COUNTY, Calif. — A large sinkhole is expected to close a portion of Ostrom Road in Yuba County for up to eight weeks in Yuba County.
The Yuba Water Agency said a culvert failed under Ostrom Road, causing the sinkhole. There were repairs planned for the culvert prior but leaks started to erode the infrastructure around it.
“Yuba County recently redid this portion of Ostrom Road and did an excellent job,” said Ryan McNally, Yuba Water’s director of water resources and flood risk reduction. “It’s unfortunate that this took out a stretch of brand-new road, but we are so grateful that no one was hurt.”
The agency said improvements that could have prevented the sinkhole were delayed when no qualified contractors submitted bids. Officials also said timing also played a factor.
“We typically have a narrow window of time during the winter months to avoid interfering with harvest and springtime irrigation,” McNally said. “That small construction window can be a challenge, especially in a wet year like this. Now, we’ll make the repairs immediately – but this will not be a band-aid. We will make the permanent fix now.”
Yuba Water Agency says they will cover the cost of the repair in partnership with the South County irrigation districts and a pump wil lbe used to get the irrigation water over the road during construction.
The emergency repairs will take place along Ostrom Road between Virginia Road and South Beale Road in Yuba County.
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