Holy Sinkhole, Bangor! A Small One Has Opened Up On Main Street

Bangor Police say a sinkhole on Main Street is taking up some downtown parking spaces.

Is Downtown Traffic Affected by the Sinkhole?

Sorry, I couldn't resist the old Batman and Robin reference with 'Holy Sinkhole!' As sinkholes go, this one is actually relatively small and isn't really disrupting traffic. But parking in the area near Happy Endings is blocked until Bangor Public Works can get the small-sinkhole-oversized-pothole filled in. Three parking spaces have been blocked off until then.

What Has To Be Done Before They Can Fix It?

So why don't they just pour in some concrete or tar or something and be done with it? Bangor Public Works Director Aaron Huotari tells us that, first, they had to make sure that none of the city's infrastructure beneath the pavement had been damaged.

We had the sewer department camera their lines to ensure they had no broken pipes near the sinkhole. The water district also used their listening device to make sure they weren't hearing any leaks.

He says now that those diagnostic procedures are out of the way, they can try to determine the cause of the sinkhole. Huotari says their best guess is that this collapse is related to the water main leak in that area several years ago.

The flowing water underground can open up voids in areas that the Bangor Water District employees don't see when they are making their repair.

He says that over time frost and road vibration can cause material above the void to start collapsing. That's what appears to be the case with the current sinkhole.

How Does the City Repair a Sinkhole?

Crews will likely pour some loose cement into the hole and then pave over the top of it. Huotari says they're hoping to have it done today, although it may take until tomorrow.