The District of North Vancouver has declared another local state of emergency after a sinkhole opened up on a remote private road, threatening to cut off access to 30-40 properties on Indian Arm.
On Dec. 18, residents in the area alerted district staff to the sinkhole where Ostler Creek crosses Sunshine Falls Lane.
Peter Cohen, general manager or engineering and infrastructure for the district, described the hole at the side of the road surface as being close to a metre wide, and growing.
An investigation by staff and a geotechnical consultant found the culvert under the road had been damaged, most likely during the Oct. 19 atmospheric river.
Although the road and culvert are not owned by the municipality, the district declared a state of local emergency, allowing the municipality to assume control of the repairs.
“Without immediate intervention, it’s unlikely that section of Sunshine Falls Lane would continue to be passable for the remainder of the winter,” Cohen said. “To ensure access, including for emergency services, can be maintained for the communities beyond Ostler Creek on Sunshine Falls Lane, we made the call that immediate emergency repair works would be needed, particularly before any larger storms came through.”
The contractor will have to cover the holes that developed in the culvert and fill in the any voids left in the soil.
Cohen said the total cost of the repairs is not yet known and the district is working with the province to see what emergency funding might be available.
On Monday, Cohen said they are hoping to have the emergency repairs to get the culvert functioning again done within a few days.
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