The next part of a sewer investigation will take place next week as the county council begins preparing a plan for the road repair after a sinkhole appeared in Holbeach.
A small section of Boston Road South, between Tesco and Holbeach, cracked open in March this year and left a hole in the road surface. However, this is not a new problem as the issue of sinkholes appearing on that road seems to have been frustrating residents in recent years.
It prompted an urgent investigation from Lincolnshire County Council to find out the cause of the sinkhole and forced a temporary closure of the road. A full road closure across that section of road remains in place.
The county council has now completed its series of investigations in respect of surface water drainage systems and has begun preparing a plan for the road repair and reinstatement. An assessment is being carried out to ensure the correct works programme is used for the repair of the route
Anglian Water is continuing to investigate the main sub-sewer which runs the length of Boston Road South and part of that enquiry includes all property sewage accesses into this main line. The further part of the sewer investigation will take place from May 9 to 16.
Several stages of works from Highways are then planned to be actioned on completion of Anglian Water’s investigation.
The first is to excavate the problematic area of carriageway on Boston Road South. This will then be investigated to find out what has happened under the surface in relation to what caused the sink hole.
Works will then begin to make repairs of the road. This will be based on what is found under the surface during the investigation, so dates for these works will be released at a later date.
Councillor Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The issues on Boston Road South have already, and are continuing to, present us and our partner at Anglian Water with a unique set of issues.
“It is vital that we understand completely what happened to this road so that, once the investigation into the sewer and sewer access is completed, we can employ the right methods to ensure the best solution is found.
“It’s not an easy fix and I appreciate that this is taking time to progress to the rebuild of this area of road, which is both regrettable and unavoidable in this case. But we are doing all we can to get this sorted.
“I want to express our profound thanks to all concerned for their continuing patience with this matter. We are working as quickly and as diligently as possible to get to the right solution for the residents and businesses in the area and we appreciate everyone’s understanding whilst we continue these works.”
The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
The final in the latest series of road closures for works on the A1, as part of the Grantham Southern Relief Road project, has been temporarily postponed
A weekend northbound A1 closure was due to be in place between 8pm on Friday, May 20 and 6am on Monday, May 23.
However, Lincolnshire County Council said the closure has been temporarily postponed and once new dates have been confirmed they will be shared.
Works on phase three began in April this year, with the council anticipating that winter 2023 will be the completion date for the relief road.
This will be with the view to reduce congestion and carbon emissions, and provide opportunities for growth in the local economy.
The £102 million Grantham Southern Relief Road project has been led by Lincolnshire County Council, supported by South Kesteven District Council, Highways England, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Network Rail, Homes England, the Department for Transport and local business contributions.
Safety improvements have been carried out at corner where numerous accidents have occurred in East Keal.
The council is looking into what else can be done to prevent motorists from coming off the road at Hall Corner, while police are looking into the possibility of fitting a speed camera.
A cement lorry recently overturned on the corner in February.
Lincolnshire County Council has found a slight dip in the road where Blacksmith Lane meets the A16 could be the reason why heavy vehicles travelling at excessive speed are tipping over.
It is considering whether to smooth out and realign the road, but says it is concious of the impact that closing the A16 would have on traffic and local businesses.
Several safety improvement measures have already been put in place, including ‘slow’ markings, enhanced bend warning signs and improved chevrons.
Problems have been found with the road surface on the corner. | Photo: Google Street View
Lincolnshire Police are assessing whether a speed camera on the corner would be beneficial, and will be taking speed readings in the coming weeks.
Larger barriers and longer safety fencing have been proposed by the public. However, the county council says that in order for it to be big enough to withstand the impact of overturned vehicles, the cost can’t be justified.
Either the local parish council or the country council could also explore whether to fund a reactive speed sign on the location.
Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “We are very thankful to the residents and members of the parish council who have given us their ideas and support in what can be done at Hall Corner. Local knowledge and personal feedback are cornerstones of what we do in terms of delivering the best solutions in the most informed way.
“There has already been much done at this bend to try and mitigate the issues faced and we now have more planned for this particular area that will go on to encourage all road users to drive accordingly in line with the road and conditions.
“I would like to thank everyone involved so far for their input. We will all work together to get the best resolution we can for Hall Corner.”
Whatsapp
