Sinkhole forces closure on Wixom Road; traffic, school bus routes impacted
WIXOM, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) – Contractors dug a portion of North Wixom Road Tuesday to begin repairs that may take at least a week because of a large sinkhole.
No one was hurt when the ground gave way between Pontiac Trail and Maple Road Monday afternoon. However, the closure is causing headaches for commuters and parents.
Barbara LaVoy got to see it soon after it happened and the rush from emergency crews to shut down the road.
"It was something out of the ordinary, I think, for Michigan, maybe something you see in Florida. But we were surprised," LaVoy said.
Using cameras, the Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office believes a collapsed storm sewer pipe 10 feet deep caused the sinkhole.
The heavy rain from last week's storms didn't help.
"A lot of rain will potentially saturate the soil and cause something that's already leaking to then collapse. Heavy rains certainly contribute," said Geoff Wilson, chief engineer with Oakland County Water Resources Commissioner's Office.
The sinkhole appeared just south of Wixom Elementary, so parents and school bus drivers are using Maple Road for pick-up and drop-offs.
Walled Lake Consolidated Schools shared this message with parents:
Dear WLCSD families:
Due to an unexpected development on Wixom Road, traffic on the road is CLOSED just south of Wixom Elementary. This means any traffic to Wixom Elementary will need to proceed from the North (Maple Road) for the foreseeable future.
This unexpected road closure will also impact our bus routes at several schools including but not limited to:
- Walled Lake Western High School
- Sarah G. Banks Middle School
- Wixom Elementary School
- Select Special Education and Early Childhood programs
To stay up to date on the status of your child's bus the District's Late Bus Hotline is (248) 956-5199.
It is unclear at this time how long this unexpected road closure will continue. Due to this uncertainty, our Transportation Department will be contacting the families of students riding the impacted bus routes with solutions as we await more information from the City of Wixom and the Oakland County Road Commission.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this unexpected road closure together.
Sincerely,
Dr. John C. Bernia, Jr., Ed. D.
Superintendent of Schools
Walled Lake Consolidated School District
"We got to get it repaired properly so that it's a good, long-lasting fix. And we don't have to dig this up again," Wilson said.
The city has suggested these two alternate routes for commuters:
• Southbound traffic on N. Wixom Road – turn left (east) on Maple Road to Beck Road right (south).
• Northbound traffic on N. Wixom Road – turn right (east) on Pontiac Trail to Beck Road left (north).