Marshall County has declared a section of road in Lake of the Woods an emergency in a push to repair the issues causing damage.
It was learned Monday morning that the Marshall County Highway Department believes pipes running under a drain outlet along West Lakeshore Drive in Lake of the Woods has caused a sinkhole in the area.
Highway Superintendent Jason Peters says they have some ideas for how to approach the problem.
“The pipes are bad, but where we’re getting the sinkholes is actually in between two pipes,” says Peters. “But we hate to do anything on the surface until we get the pipes sleeved first.”
Putting reinforcement around the drain pipes will ensure there are no leaks and to stabilize them prior to road repair work being conducted.
What to do about the road damage in the meantime was considered Monday morning. Closing the roadway entirely was considered as a possibility, but limiting the travel options of those that live on the south side of the lake was considered undesirable.
To keep traffic moving along West Lakeshore Drive, the commissioners agreed to allow the Highway Department to lay steel plates. Peters says there are a few other safety measures that need to be taken.
“We just have to post for people to slow down and try to keep, minimum, heavy trucks off it as much as possible,” says Peters.
By declaring the roadway an emergency situation, paperwork can be completed to make the necessary repairs.
The commissioners agreed Monday morning to declare it an emergency and begin work to improve the safety of the site.
