BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Bakersfield City street crews are working to repair a small, shallow sinkhole discovered on the westbound side of Truxtun Avenue Friday morning, closing down several lanes.
Around 6 a.m. Friday, the small sinkhole was found forming in the no. 3 lane on westbound Truxtun Avenue approaching the Railroad bridge underpass. Streets crews have closed the westbound no. 2 and 3 lanes and have excavated the area.
Crews found where subsurface water from the Kern River infiltrated a drainage vault where an unidentified utility conduit has been found to have been bored through the concrete vault and caused subsidence of the roadway. Crews will repair the vault and stabilize the area before rebuilding a small portion of the roadway.
The repairs are expected to be completed by around 7 p.m.
This sinkhole near the same area where two years ago another sinkhole appeared, causing damage to passing vehicles. The hole was about 12-feet-long, 3 to 4-feet-wide, and 3 to 4-feet-deep.
Bakersfield officials at the time also believed the hole was caused by the Kern River.