5/3/13 - Testing has revealed that the damage caused by Enbridge Energy to the roadway near Burkhart Road and Grand River is too extensive to bring the intersection back up to normal operation for at least two weeks. Livingston County Road Commission Managing Director Mike Craine says while boring from the north to the south side of Grand River, Enbridge hit a Howell Township sewer line. That particular line is a forced main, which means it is only in use when needed, so Enbridge did not notice the damage and continued boring. It then hit an MHOG water main, which burst and flooded the roadway. Sinkholes continue to open up in the affected area, so the intersection will remain in an always-stop condition until it is repaired. Craine tells WHMI they initially hoped they could just patch the underlying holes and return the intersection to normal operation. Unfortunately, it appears that the disturbance goes 18 feet below the surface and that the layers of substrata beneath the road are continually collapsing as a result. Craine tells WHMI it will be two to three weeks before the intersection is stable enough to return to normal. It is still not clear who will pay for the damage to the pipes and the roadway, which is estimated to cost about $600,000. (TD)
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