Work on street in Midtown Atlanta stalled due to weather

ATLANTA — Some drivers are concerned that a road in Midtown Atlanta could be sinking.

Steel plates cover the problem at 16th Street NW and Spring Street.

Drivers travel over them as they hop onto Interstate 75 Northbound in that area.

“Every time I see them working on it, it’s, like, getting lower and lower,” said Corey Brownlee.

Reese Alley works with SCA Construction. That company specializes in detecting and repairing sinkholes and road failures across metro Atlanta.

He met Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco at the road to take a look at the conditions.

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“This looks like an issue with an underground sinkage, or a pipe separating, or some kind of settlement happening underground,” said Alley.

Alley said the city’s aging pipe system leaks water. That can erode the dirt away from the pipes and the road. Without that ground support, the asphalt you drive on can collapse.

“The worst thing could be, you know, something falling in,” said Alley.

Channel 2 reached out to Atlanta’s Department of Watershed Management to find out if a sinkhole is forming under the steel plates.

A spokesperson confirmed a crew has been working on underground pipes at the intersection. They finished on June 11. However, a restoration team still needs to repair the road, and rain keeps delaying that process.

“Most likely, they’re just going to strip the road plates, saw cut the road, fill in the back gaps, replace the soil, make sure there’s a tight seal for the next coming rains,” said Alley.

Drivers are bracing for improvements. “Constantly running over the same pothole, it’s wear and tear on your vehicle,” said Brownlee.

DWM did not say when it will begin restoration. Their next steps are dependent on the weather.

You can report a pothole in Atlanta on the city’s website.

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