Crews work on Bradbury Ranch Drive sinkhole

BY HALEY LENA HLENA@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Heavy rainfall in the Parker area on the evening of June 11 left a large sinkhole when a drainage culvert failed under Bradbury Ranch Drive west of Jordan Road.

A culvert is a type of drainage pipe or channel built into roadways or bridges which provides an opening underneath the surface for water to ow.

According to the Town of Parker’s Deputy Director of Engineering Chris Hudson, to the best of their knowledge, the corrugated metal pipe had corroded and in conjunction with the heavy rain, caused the collapse. e corrugated metal pipe that failed was ve and a half feet in diameter, Hudson said. e town is now mobilizing Naranjo Civil Constructors, which has done projects for the Mile High Flood Control District, to perform the ultimate repairs, which will include a full replacement of the drainage culvert as well as repairing the roadway subgrade and pavement.

“ e heavy rain that we got caused the soil to basically erode out from under the road because the pipe was leaking because of all the corrosion,” said Hudson.

No injuries or property damage associated with this issue have been reported and town crews responded immediately and closed the roadway to tra c.

Upon rst arrival, Hudson estimated the hole to be nearly 12 feet deep and 30 feet long.

Emergency contractor Quality Pipe Services was mobilized on the morning of June 12 to stabilize the roadway damage and restore stormwater ow under the roadway. is work was completed early that afternoon.

“ e replacement pipe we’re going back with is a reinforced concrete pipe,” said Hudson.

Replacement pipes have already arrived on site, however, the work also requires utility coordination and relocations to facilities located within the roadway corridor.

“Right now, if you go out there, there’s water owing through the hole we’ve cut — or the ditch we cut through the road and we’ll have to bypass it,” said Hudson. “ e contractor is probably going to have to bring in a pump and pump it around the work area because we can’t turn it o .”

With contractors onsite, the repairs are expected to take several weeks to complete before the roadway is reopened to tra c.