Traffic slows to a trickle as sinkhole opens wide (due to pipe leak)

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http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2011/sep/07/traffic-slows-to-a-trickle-as-sinkhole-opens-wide/


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At sunrise today, crews continued pumping watery, rocky gunk out of the hole to reach two sections of concrete irrigation pipe that had shifted and were leaking. Frazier estimated the leak washed away 10 to 15 cubic yards of dirt and crushed rock, roughly enough to fill nearly two dump trucks.

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The leaky irrigation pipe may date back 50 to 80 years, Frazier guessed. “It served the area when it was all orchards, long before this commercial development appeared.”

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The irrigation line is made of thousands of three-foot sections of concrete pipe, said Frazier, “and we’ve found it’s hard to find a concrete pipe today that matches in diameter.”

But plastic PVC pipe can be made to fit, he said, and will replace two sections of the line.
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[MadHound]

1. That's another reason why we need a larger program to upgrade infrastructure,

Much of our infrastructure hasn't been upgraded since the Great Depression. Locally we've got one hundred year old water pipes bursting and flooding downtown.

On another note, it isn't that hard to find three foot diameter concrete pipes, they're fairly common out here in the Midwest. Of course shipping could be a pain, but still, they are available.

[onethatcares]

2. there was some kind of show about infrastructure in America

a while back and the condition of everything underground is truly terrible. The show didn't last long as I guess the ptb figured we'd be asking where our tax dollars have been going.

There was another show about how the sewerage system came to be and the amount of disease it prevented and stopped. That was based in New York City.

At one time the United States of America put a man on the moon and was a leader in all things. Sadly we aren't so much anymore.

[InkAddict]

3. Nearly every day of the week/year

More incidents nationwide here: http://poleshift.ning.com/profiles/blogs/sinkhole-incidents-on-the-rise

[Liberal_in_LA]

4. thanks for the link