Sinkhole work near finish

By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
The Alabama Department of Transpor-tation is expected to reopen 1-65 to northbound traffic through Hartselle this week following the repair of a large sinkhole at milepost 329.9, two miles north of Hartselle Exit 328.
Traffic was detoured around Hartselle at exits 310 (Highway 157) and 318 (Lacon) late Thursday afternoon after Reed Contracting moved crews and equipment to the site to begin excavation. The next day the detour was modified to allow operators of light vehicles to exit at 325 (Thompson Road) and at Exit 328, east to Somerville and Priceville.
David Reed, the contractor’s vice president, said Saturday the sink hole was being back filled and should be up to highway surface grade sometime Sunday.
After that the hole would be given 12 hours to settle before the foundation would be ready to surface. Rain late Saturday, Sunday and Monday slowed the process but Reed said the job should be finished before the end of the week.
Project Forman Steve Hayes said Friday Morning two excavators had reached a depth of 45 to 50 feet and the bottom of the opening still was not in sight. “The hole is so deep we’re using our excavators to bench back from the sinkhole so they’ll have a place from which to work.”
The sinkhole was caused by multiple cavities in a vertical rock face underneath the northbound lanes, according to Buddy Cox, a geotechnical engineer with ALDOT. He said the hole would be filled properly to prevent a reoccurrence.
Reed said his crews worked 24 hours a day until they discovered the cause of the problem and backfilled the hole.
Meanwhile, traffic on the detour routes, especially Highway 31, was extremely heavy.
To kept traffic moving safely, State Troopers and municipal law enforcement were visible in larger than normal numbers on I-65 and Highway 31. There had been no major traffic accidents reported on the detour route as of presstime.