Manhole collapse closes downtown intersection ‘indefinitely’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The downtown intersection of Illinois and Maryland streets has been shut down while Citizens Energy Group investigates the collapse of a manhole below the roads.
Citizens Energy Group confirmed the road closure around 3:40 p.m. Thursday, citing a possible sewer issue at the intersection, which is between the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis and Circle Centre Mall, and a block south of the Artsgarden.
Citizens Energy Group provided the following statement on the closure:
The intersection of Illinois and Maryland Streets in downtown Indianapolis will be closed indefinitely due to the collapse of a more than 100-year-old brick manhole structure under the street.
Citizens Energy Group discovered the collapse during routine sewer cleaning and inspection.
Further updates will be provided as repairs progress.
The company said it spends $20 million every year to repair and update old piping but could not confirm on Thursday whether Citizens had planned to update this manhole structure. The collapse cannot be seen from the street, but crews found that the brick lining of the structure that runs 12 feet below to the sewer had disintegrated.
When News 8’s Eric Feldman asked authorities how they planned to deal with cars that were already inside parking garages or for guests at nearby hotels, he did not receive an immediate response. Nearby businesses and hotels were still able to use their water and sewer services on Thursday.
This comes on the heels of a sinkhole that closed the intersection of Pennsylvania and Ohio streets on July 4 when a sewer line more than a century old collapsed and left a sinkhole. That intersection reopened Friday.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department had been made aware of the situation and had a few traffic officers in place to ensure traffic was diverted away from what they called a sinkhole, according to Lt. Michael Wolley II with IMPD.
In a tweet, IMPD said Illinois Street, which is one-way northbound, was closed to South Street, and Maryland Street, which is one-way eastbound, was closed to Capitol Avenue.