Joliet sink hole leads to road intersection closure

A water main break at Center and Moran streets in Joliet caused a sink hole that is expected to be repaired on Thursday afternoon.

On Wednesday evening, police officials announced a road closure in that area because of a “large sink hole in the roadway.”

The police department was notified about the sinkhole at 7:53 p.m. on Wednesday, said Joliet police Sgt. Dwayne English.

English said a Dodge Cargo van’s tire was stuck in the hole but he doesn’t know if the vehicle was damaged. The vehicle was towed away from the hole.

No injuries occurred, English said.

A city water foreman arrived at the site around 8:45 p.m. Wednesday and called in an emergency JULIE, according to an email from Joel Marino, the city’s distribution system superintendent, which was provided by city spokeswoman Rosemaria DiBenedetto.

“The water main break occurred in an area that is currently being replaced with a new water main. The water from the break forced the gravel out of the trench, causing a ‘sink hole’ in the intersection,” Marino said.

Marino said they secured the site and made preparations to complete the repair. The city foreman had a “hard time finding all the valves to turn down the water main,” he said.

“We discovered in the early morning a valve was covered from the gravel in the work area and we are now working to repair the broken water main,” Marino said.

Marino said the work should be completed Thursday afternoon.