‘Mini sinkhole’ is causing traffic delays near Lorraine Road and SR 70, officials say
The Manatee County Public Works Department is telling drivers to expect delays on Lorraine Road as a third-party crew works to fix a “mini sinkhole” that formed in the road Friday morning.
The two northbound left-turn lanes on Lorraine Road to travel westbound on State Road 70 in east Bradenton are closed.
A pipe under the road was damaged by a private communications company, which obtained a county and state permit to work on the road and was drilling.
The third-party company drilled into a pipe and never reported the leak, according to a county spokesperson.
Ogden Clark, Manatee County strategic affairs manager for Public Works, told the Bradenton Herald that leaking from the pipe could have been going on for weeks without anyone knowing and has caused a void beneath the road, or a “mini sink hole.”
Crews are now working to repair the hole in the road, which could last over the weekend.
Once the road has been repaired, the county will test it for safety and then open it back up to drivers.
The pipe that was hit is owned by Braden River Utilities, which provides water to the communities out in east Bradenton separately from what Manatee County provides.
The damaged pipe is a reclaimed water line that residents in east Bradenton use for irrigation, Clark said.
“No drinking water was impacted and there’s no sewage leaking,” he said.
Drivers are urged to use caution when approaching the intersection and to be aware of potential delays.
This story was originally published December 2, 2022 at 2:13 PM.
