Repairs continued Sunday, Feb. 1, on a sinkhole that developed the day before at Carlsbad Village Drive and El Camino Real after a water main break, city officials reported.
The city and Carlsbad Municipal Water District announced an emergency declaration on Saturday, Jan. 31, to allow crews to fast-track contracts, permits and coordination needed to repair a damaged water main and stabilize road conditions at the heavily used intersection.
Some lanes had already been reopened by Sunday afternoon, the city reported. Full repairs were expected to be completed by the middle of this week, however.
The water main break was first reported early Saturday morning, prompting street closures at the intersection and surrounding roads, according to city updates. By 6:25 a.m., traffic was being diverted away from El Camino Real and Carlsbad Village Drive, with additional closures at nearby cross streets including Celinda Drive, Hosp Way, Chestnut Avenue and Avenida de Anita.
By late Saturday morning, officials determined that repairs were more extensive than originally anticipated and would require overnight work into Sunday. Pedestrians, cyclists and drivers were urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes due to safety concerns and heavy equipment operating at the site.
As of about 2:30 p.m. Sunday, some of the southbound lanes of El Camino Real were open, except for the left turn lane going east on Carlsbad Village Drive. One northbound lane of El Camino Real and one westbound lane of Carlsbad Village Drive had also been reopened.
City Manager Geoff Patnoe said the emergency declaration reflected the urgency of restoring access at a high-traffic intersection.
“When issues arise that affect public safety and quality of life, we work as quickly as possible to address them for our community,” Patnoe said in the city’s news release announcing the emergency. “We realize this is a high-traffic area for our residents and surrounding communities and want to be sure we are doing everything possible to expedite these repairs.”
Officials stated that the declaration is expected to remain in place until at least the Feb. 10 City Council meeting, when the council, which also serves as the water district’s board, will decide whether to extend it.
Updates are being posted on the city’s social media feeds on Facebook and Instagram.
