Sinkhole Creates Congestion in East St. Paul

Watch out East Side of St. Paul -- one of the main roads is out of commission, and it isn’t from the typical construction. Johnson Parkway on the cross street with Phalen Boulevard has collapsed. A sewer line connecting the two streets collapsed at 2 am on Friday. Thankfully no one was injured. A 25 ft deep hole sits at what used to be one of the area’s most used intersections. Traffic from a normally congested area is now backed up even more with all the obligatory detours. In 1989, the pipeline was put in and carries 12 million gallons of sewage daily. Although the cause of the sinkhole is uncertain, the best theory is that it is from natural corrosion, and probably gave out due to the heavy rains we’ve experienced this year. Luckily, the drinking supply and sewer system are not harmed from the sink hole. Nearby residents don’t have to worry about unsafe water, or sewage backup. The sink hole should be fixed and traffic back to normal before the end of the week. Aside from traffic being rerouted, parking is an issue in that area as well until the site is cleaned up. Expect to leave earlier if you want to arrive at your destinations on time. Photo by: Matthew Deery