NCDOT plans to share updated timeline for Apex sinkhole repair by September
SLOW TRAFFIC SHOWING UP RIGHT
NOW ON I-87, I THANK YOU TO
BRIGHT. SO TODAY WE ARE DIGGING
FOR ANSWERS ABOUT THIS. THIS.
>> A GIANT SINKHOLE ON A VERY
BUSY ROAD IN WAKE COUNTY THAT
IMPACTS A LOT OF PEOPLE THIS
ROAD CONNECTS MANY PARTS OF
THAT COMMUNITY WAY PACKS.
LEADERS ARE NOW TELLING US IT
COULD TAKE 3 MONTHS TO FIX THAT
PROBLEM THERE ALONG ALL OF
CHAPEL ROAD AND NEIGHBORS
AREN'T HAPPY ABOUT THAT.
SO TODAY WE ASKED THE NC DOT
WHY WRAL? SEAN GALLAGHER IS
LIVE THERE NOW. AND THIS HAS
BEEN REALLY FRUSTRATING PROJECT
FOR PEOPLE OUT AND THEY'RE
WONDERING WHY IT IS GOING TO
TAKE SUCH A LONG TIME SHOT.
>> YEAH, DAN, AND UNFORTUNATELY
THAT THREE-MONTH ESTIMATE WAS
PROBABLY A LITTLE LOFTY AFTER
THE DOT TELLS US THEY CAN'T
GIVE US AN ESTIMATE FOR WHEN
THIS WILL BE COMPLETED ON TILL
NEXT MONTH. AND KEEP IN MIND,
THE SINKHOLE HAS BEEN HERE FOR
ALMOST A MONTH NOW AND ALL DAY
TODAY, WE'VE SEEN PEOPLE COME
UP TO THESE ROAD, CLOSED SIGNS
AND HAVE TO TURN AROUND AND
FIND ANOTHER WAY. SO IF YOU
FREQUENT THIS ROADWAY, IT'S
BEST TO FIND AN ALTERNATE ROUTE
NOW BECAUSE THIS WILL BE HERE
A WHILE.
>> THE STREET OPENING UP ON ALL
OF CHAPEL ROAD IS A SIGHT TO
BEHOLD, CAME DOWN AND HAD TO
GET A LOOK AT IT FOR MYSELF.
SO I JUST SEE WITH ORANGE
BROUGHT HIS FRIEND HERE TO SHOW
HIM THE SINKHOLE. JUST IT'S
JUST WILD TO ME. I WANT TO
COLLAPSE. YOU KIND OF JUST SEE
HOW IT ERODED. WHAT'S YOUR
FIRST TAKE AWAY WHEN YOU SEE
HOW MASSIVE THE SINKHOLES?
AGAIN, I'M JUST SO THANKFUL.
WE'RE BLESSED THAT NO ONE GOT
HURT. IT'S A SIGHT TO SEE EVEN
FOR APEX'S. MAYOR JACQUES
GILBERT SHOW THIS ROAD RIGHT
HERE AS ALWAYS BEEN AN ISSUE
LIKE YES, STANDING WATER IN ANY
TIME. WE HAVE A HEAVY RAIN.
>> BUT TO SEE A SINKHOLE KNOW
WE NEVER SEE ANYTHING LIKE THAT
NEVER BEFORE SEEN BUT WILL BE
HERE FOR A WHILE. IN A
STATEMENT NC DOT CAUSES PROJECT
COMPLEX SINCE IT HAS TO
RELOCATE A WATER LINE AND
ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL RIGHT OF
WAY. AS FOR WHEN IT WILL
REOPEN, DOT SAYS WE HOPE TO
HAVE A CLEAR TIMELINE,
INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
THAT WE CAN ANNOUNCE TO THE
PUBLIC BY SEPTEMBER. IS THAT
GOOD THAT TIME ON OR THEY CAN
ONLY WORK WITHIN THE PARAMETERS
OF WHAT THEY HAVE OR FRONT OF
THEM? THE PIPE IS DECADES OLD,
ACCORDING TO DOT. AND LAST
WEEK'S DAMAGE IS SO SEVERE, A
TEMPORARY FIX ISN'T POSSIBLE.
WE BELIEVE IN MIRACLES HERE IT
OUT OF A PACKED. SO IT WOULD BE
A GREAT MIRACLE TO GET THIS
REOPEN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL HAPPEN.
>> AND OBVIOUSLY CARS CAN'T GET
THROUGH HERE, BUT DOT ACTUALLY
TORE UP THE SIDEWALK HERE TO
TRY TO DISSUADE ANYBODY FROM
TRYING TO WALK ACROSS AS WELL.
THEY SAY IT IS SO UNSTABLE.
THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE ANYWHERE
NEAR THIS RIGHT NOW. BUT THE
SILVER LINING HERE IS ONCE THEY
COMPLETE THIS FIX, IT SHOULD
MAKE IT EVEN STRONGER THAN IT
WAS BEFORE. SO IF THERE ARE
HISTORIC RAINS LIKE THEY HAD
HERE LAST WEEK.