Sinkhole May Sink Businesses
Repair Work Takes Months
POSTED: 1:54 p.m. CST January 23, 2003
HOUSTON -- Construction to fix a sinkhole along a southwest Houston street could end up sinking some businesses, News2Houston reported Thursday.
E&R Beverages, 12224 Almeda Road, is not closed, but the road in front of it is, which causes problems for customers.
"When this thing first closed down, they rerouted people out and had a sign that said, 'Only local traffic' and a lot of people, law-abiding people, took this to heart. They just avoided the area," said Emmet Roberson, owner of E&R Beverages.
Roberson said that his business is down 80 percent.
"Right now, I'm not making enough money to pay the light bill," Roberson said.
It started back in November, when Almeda Road started sinking, and a hole formed in the top of an 84-inch sewer line under the road. It caused the pipe to take in dirt, and the road to fall.
Business owners were told the repair project would take three months.
Now that 2-and-a-half months have passed and the road is far from finished, business owners are considering taking legal action with a class-action lawsuit.
Houston's Public Works Department said that the city has done all it can.
"City code of ordinance only limits us to a certain number of things that we can do for them. We have provided for things like driveways to the back of their businesses and things like that," said Wes Johnson, with Public Works.
Johnson expects the project to be completed between mid-March and early April.
Do you have a story in your community that you would like News2Houston to cover in its Zip Trip segment?
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Copyright 2003 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
E&R Beverages, 12224 Almeda Road, is not closed, but the road in front of it is, which causes problems for customers.
"When this thing first closed down, they rerouted people out and had a sign that said, 'Only local traffic' and a lot of people, law-abiding people, took this to heart. They just avoided the area," said Emmet Roberson, owner of E&R Beverages.
Roberson said that his business is down 80 percent.
"Right now, I'm not making enough money to pay the light bill," Roberson said.
It started back in November, when Almeda Road started sinking, and a hole formed in the top of an 84-inch sewer line under the road. It caused the pipe to take in dirt, and the road to fall.
Business owners were told the repair project would take three months.
Now that 2-and-a-half months have passed and the road is far from finished, business owners are considering taking legal action with a class-action lawsuit.
Houston's Public Works Department said that the city has done all it can.
"City code of ordinance only limits us to a certain number of things that we can do for them. We have provided for things like driveways to the back of their businesses and things like that," said Wes Johnson, with Public Works.
Johnson expects the project to be completed between mid-March and early April.
Do you have a story in your community that you would like News2Houston to cover in its Zip Trip segment?
E-mail your story ideas to ziptrip@click2houston.com.
Previous Story:
- November 5, 2002: Road Collapses Into Sinkhole
Copyright 2003 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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