City watching for South Sprigg sinkhole growth

A large sinkhole that caused the closure of the southbound lane in the 2300 block of South Sprigg Street earlier this month still could be growing.

"We're checking it every day," said Tim Gramling, director of the Cape Girardeau Public Works Department. "We're seeing cracks appearing in the pavement. If the cracks get closer to the centerline, we'll have to shut down that part of the road to traffic."

According to Gramling, the sinkhole was created with the rising and falling of recent floodwater in the area.

"It's complicated, but it has to do with underground rock formations," Gramling said. "When the river rises and goes back down, it causes the rock formations to shift. That results in the ground not having the support it once had, and it collapses."

Gramling said signs are in place to warn motorists of the one-lane traffic, and the southbound lane will remain closed until further notice.

"We need the river to go down to a 'normal' level and stabilize before we can start filling the hole," he said. "Then we'll pave over the damaged part and hope for the best."

Sinkholes have been a major problem along South Sprigg Street. From April 2011 to April 2012, part of the road was closed and had to be rebuilt because of sinkholes that resulted from the flood of 2011. Gramling said the road also experienced sinkholes during flooding in 2007.

"I think the best solution is to build a bridge on South Sprigg," he said. "Of course, that will require a lot of money."

So far, the sinkhole hasn't interrupted the stream of commerce on South Sprigg Street.

"We can live with the road being one lane," said Steve Leus, manager of the Buzzi Unicem USA concrete-manufacturing plant south of the sinkhole. "Our vendors can still get to us coming south on Sprigg Street."

Leus said the plant has been fortunate recent flooding hasn't been anything like it was in 2011.

"It's kind of disheartening, but it could be much worse," he said. "I think the road may be OK if the river goes down more."

Leus said he knows sinkhole problems on South Sprigg Street won't go away after the newest sinkhole is filled.

"It looks like they could be with us for some time," he said.

klewis@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent addresses:

2300 block of South Sprigg Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

2524 S. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, Mo.