Traffic Advisory: More Howell Mill Road Sinkhole Repair Monday

A busy stretch along Howell Mill Road between 14th Street and Huff Road that was closed for about 24 hours last week is expected to again be closed at times Monday as crews continue to examine what caused a 5-to-6-inch sinkhole in the road.

On Tuesday, Nov. 20, a large crack formed in the road on the bridge just north of the Howell Mill/14th intersection near the Westside Provisions District (WSPD). City crews closed all four lanes of the road to inspect the damage with the Department of Watershed Management later indicating it was not due to a water leak.

While the crack was plated over and the bridge declared safe for passage and reopened on Wednesday, Nov. 21, officials said they would return Monday to continue examining the problem.

On Sunday, city crews were observed examining sewer lines in the area. Last week, residents and business owners in the area reported that before the crack appeared, construction crews were blasting next to the road for the nearby Elan Westside Apartments project that broke ground late last month.

The apartment project is part of a larger development project known as ‘169 14th Street’ that will ultimately see 197 apartments and 11,000 square feet of retail space delivered to the westside.

All WSPD merchants who normally open on Mondays will be open for business as usual. The footbridge offers quick, convenient pedestrian access to both ends of the district whether you park in the north surface lots accessible by Huff Rd. or in the south deck accessible by 14th St. or Brady Avenue.

WSPD will have private security and off-duty police directing traffic and making it easy to get in an out of the area.

Entrances to WSPD open:

• Huff Road by Figo and the Huff Road entrance by Anthropologie
• 14th Street entrance to the parking deck
• Brady Avenue entrance by West Egg

The Howell Mill entrances north of 14th St. and south of Huff Rd. are temporarily closed. Check back with Patch for updates on this continuing story.