Sinkhole repairs continue in downtown Emporia.
City Engineer Jim Ubert says a better-than-50-inch storm sewer line has been installed. Pavement should be placed by early next week, with another week of cure time needed after that.
Cinco de Mayo is planned Saturday, and the celebration will be slightly compressed as far as area is concerned. The original plan had Cinco using both the 800 block of Commercial and the full 900 block of Commercial. Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow Board President Mike Torres says the event can use part of the 900 block for the celebration Saturday. Cinco de Mayo will take place from 11 am to 3 pm.
The sinkhole developed in late March near the southeast corner of 10th and Commercial after a pipe, installed at some time between 1901 and 1922, had leakage and ultimately failed, weakening Commercial Street’s underground structure at the intersection. Additional repair plans are in place, although Ubert says work on Commercial from 8th to 10th needs more discussions between Engineering, the City Manager’s Office and Emporia Main Street to schedule the project before March 2027.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, with a new YouTube Short reflecting ongoing construction.
