Newly Installed Lakeland Water Line Fails, Causing Sidewalk To Cave In

LAKELAND, FL — The new waterline at the southeast corner of 10th Street and Wabash Avenue in Lakeland has failed, washing out the corner and buckling the concrete curbing.

The city has shut off in that area, but no customer is without water at this time because water feeds from both directions at that location.

Crews are currently investigating the nature of the failure to determine the cause. They will know more as the day progresses and the work crew is able to dig into the impacted area. The water line is under warranty through COBB Construction which installed the line.

The city has set up temporary traffic control in the area until permanent control can be established. A water utilities inspector will be on hand to verify the repair work. Once repaired, the water department will conduct sample testing as mandated by the Polk County Health Department, said the city.

The waterline was part of a $5.1 million project that was completed in April. The .85-mile project provided a two-lane roadway, 6-foot-wide wide sidewalks on both sides of the street, street lighting, a new railroad crossing, a stormwater drainage system and an improved intersection at 10th Street with the addition of a new traffic signal.

The project's consulting engineer said there is some settling on the southwest and northwest corners of the intersection as well. The pavement is pulling away from the curbing, and the culvert bulkhead shows cracking and settling.

Currently, the northbound right-hand turn lane is closed, but this is not affecting traffic. Traffic can still make a right-hand turn from the center lane.

City officials said, at this time, it doesn't look as if the intersection or roadway will be closed entirely, but there may be some lane shifting through the area while work is being done.