Sinkhole closes down Bethel railroad crossing

BETHEL — A section of Greenwood Avenue could be closed and Metro-North service disrupted until at least Monday after a sink-hole formed underneath the railroad tracks at the intersection.

First Selectman Matt Knickerbocker said the sinkhole was discovered Wednesday night.

“What I heard was that somebody called MetroNorth and said they were watching a train go by and noticed that the track appeared to be moving a lot,” he said. “That was where the hole was forming underneath.”

The section closed stretches from the road’s intersection with Library Place to High Street, with barriers shutting the route to through traffic.

Knickerbocker said the sinkhole likely started forming a year or so ago following a water main leak repair under the tracks.

“There was no damage to the surrounding area evident at that time, but

apparently a sinkhole formed underneath that site, collapsing in stages until it got all the way to the surface,” he said.

With the large, oblong sinkhole “compromising train safety,” Knickerbocker said Metro-North and the state Department of Transportation shut down rail service in the area to make necessary repairs.

“They’re going to be cutting out about 30 to 50 yards of track and replacing the base material — the railroad ties — and putting in a new grade crossing,” he said, noting that the Greenwood Avenue crossing and surrounding area will probably remaining closed over the weekend.

“I was just out there talking to the Metro-North people, and they’re hoping to restore train service by Monday morning,” Knickerbocker said Thursday morning.

In the meantime, motorists are encouraged to follow detours around the shutdown section of Greenwood Avenue between Library Place and Blackman Avenue.

Metro-North has announced that substitute bus service will be provided between Danbury and Redding.

Theresa Varano, who owns Varano Bakery on Greenwood Avenue directly adjacent to the rail crossing in downtown Bethel, said she heard about the sinkhole by word of mouth. So far the only impact has been on traffic. Some of her customers have had to park farther away and walk down Greenwood Avenue with their cakes.

Others in the area said it was a definite disruption to their day – one late to an appointment, another diverted while trying to talk in the area.

By Peter Yankowski / Hearst Connecticut Media A sinkhole prompted the closure of Greenwood Avenue in Bethel and disrupted Metro-North Thursday. Workers said they expected to be able to reopen the area Monday.