Sinkhole repair no easy fix, city says

Traffic on Highway 174 is not likely to be flowing again until the week after next week, according to the city's infrastructure manager, as repairs to the large sinkhole on the road continue.

Ottawa mayor Jim Watson and city staff said Thursday in a news briefing at city hall there no was no quick fix to the damaged storm drain pipe and road above.

The 3.6-metre-wide pipe collapsed on Tuesday, leading to the formation of a sinkhole thatswallowed the car of motorist Juan Pedro Ungeras he drove home. Unger crawled out of the hole and escaped, but the car remains in the hole.

Infrastructure manager Alain Gonthier stressed that repairs will take time to complete and said city staff is working "around the clock" to fix it.

The city has secured 18 sections of the 3.6-metre-wide pipe and have another two arriving Friday from Quebec. The rest of the pipe needed to replace the 50-year-old storm drain pipe is expected next week.

The replacement pipe is currently being manufactured in Toronto.

Infrastructure manager Alain Gonthier had told the transportation committee Wednesdaythe sewer pipe that collapsed was inspected just last summer.

"At that point the conditions showed that the pipe was in need of renewal, but did not show signs of imminent failure," said Gonthier.

The city inspected the westbound lanes of the 174 near the sinkhole, and said the newer pipe under those are safe.