Photograph by Jeff Kearns
Sinking Feeling: Caltrans crews closed three lanes on I-280 recently to make another round of subterranean repairs on a troublesome section of roadway.
Crews continue repairs to sinkhole on freeway
Problem not as bad as former sinkhole
By Kate Carter
It's been a bumpy road recently where the connector ramp to southbound Highway 87 splits away from southbound Interstate 280.
That's where a sinkhole appeared in February and where a drop in the road surface reappeared in late November, to test the suspension system of any vehicle and the stomach of any driver.
Caltrans hurried to finish repaving the spot Saturday night and smooth the ride for travelers in the two Highway 87 on-ramp lanes and the far right lane of Interstate 280, Caltrans spokeswoman Lauren Wonder said.
"This road is not in danger of failing," she said. "But there have been a lot of complaints and the engineer was responsive to that."
Wonder said February's sinkhole was repaired in the spring and the water drainage system was repaired to drain water from the roadbed there. Two weeks ago, however, a failure with the drainage system's water pump there led to an exaggerated dip in the road.
The pump failure allowed water to rise above the water table just below the low-lying road, she said. This caused rocks and other natural drainage material that supports the road in that location to be washed away, and the road to sink.
Caltrans got the pump working again, but the road needed to be reinforced. Caltrans crews closed the far right lane of 280 and the two lanes leading to the 87 on-ramp on Nov. 28, in order to drill down and find out where the weaknesses below the road surface were.
Caltrans closed the lanes again on Nov. 30, to inject foam under the roadbed to support the road slabs, Wonder said.
The work was a priority for Caltrans, although the problem wasn't too serious, she said.
"It's an emergency, but not as serious as when the sinkhole appeared," Wonder said. "It's always important to have a nice smooth road when you're going at high speeds."
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
