The formation of a sinkhole beneath the box culvert on Church Street near the Blackshear City Limits necessitated closing the road to through traffic.
The closure runs from Keller Street to Bob Bowen Road. Residents of the neighborhoods along the affected route still have access to their homes, but a front end loader is parked across the roadway above the culvert to prevent traffic from moving over and potentially worsening the condition of the sinkhole.
The sinkhole was discovered during routine maintenance by Blackshear Public Works employees. Not visible from the surface, where the roadway is still intact, the fissure threatens the box culvert, which allows the passage of water from Baxter Branch to move from one side of Church Street to the other.
Social media pages for the city of Blackshear were updated and The Blackshear Times was notified to alert the public of the immediate closure, which began approximately 9:30 a.m. June 24. City officials said Monday the road will likely remain closed for at least another week until repairs can be made.
The Times will update this story as it develops.
