The Mercury News

30-foot-wide sinkhole closes lanes of Montague Expressway

- By Jason Green and Thy Vo Staff writers

MILPITAS >> A 30-foot-wide sinkhole has closed two westbound lanes of Montague Expressway in Milpitas, authoritie­s said, and is expected to take at least two days to fix once the cause is identified.

“The possible cause of the sinkhole is due to damage to a storm drain pipe that is underneath the roadway and goes across the expressway,” Harry Freitas, director of the Santa Clara County Roads and Airports Department, said in a news release. “Once the cause is identified and fixed, we will work as quickly as possible to repair the roadway and open it for motorists.”

The sinkhole, located on Montague Expressway between Trade Zone Boulevard and the railroad tracks, is about 30 feet across and 30 feet wide, and about 20 feet deep, according to the county.

“The Roads Department is still assessing the situation and digging the hole to see how deep it is,” said county spokeswoma­n Laurel Anderson.

“They won’t know if it will get bigger until they dig out the area around the sinkhole and get to the source.”

Anderson said rain could affect how quickly the sinkhole can be repaired.

Fixing the roadway will include digging out the sinkhole and stabilizin­g the soil underneath, and filling the hole with rocks and material so that the roadway can be repaved.

All westbound lanes on Montague Expressway are closed, and traffic will be detoured through Trade Zone Boulevard.

Updates for reopening westbound expressway lanes will be provided if the repair timeframe changes.

Road closure updates are posted on the county’s website.

Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

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