Construction crews have “stabilized” the sinkhole that opened up downtown, swallowed a van, and closed area businesses last week.
City manager Steve Kanellakos emailed a memo on Monday confirming that “significant progress” has been made on repairing the sinkhole on Rideau Street near Sussex Drive.
Crews spent the weekend removing water that pooled in the light rail transit tunnel that’s currently under construction in that stretch of Rideau Street.
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The city is still investigating the cause, but workers with LRT construction firm RTG were excavating the tunnel on Wednesday when the road collapsed. No injuries were reported, but a van fell into the hole as it grew that day.
Crews dumped in concrete and finished the first pour last week. They have also constructed a ramp, allowing workers to safely access the site.
Kanellakos said 75 per cent of businesses have reopened with full or partial services, including the Chateau Laurier, the Westin, Milestones, the Metropolitan, the Rideau Centre, the Bay and Chapters.
The city is also still disinfecting the section of the water main pipe that burst east of the sinkhole. A precautionary boil water advisory remains in effect.
Sections of Colonel By Drive have also re-opened, but portions of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive remain closed.
This article originally appeared on metronews.ca on June 13.
