Board declares emergency over failing culvert on Old Ridge Road, seeks proposals

The Hoover Sanitary Stormwater District declared an emergency for a failing culvert in the 300 block of Old Ridge Road and authorized staff to solicit emergency engineering and construction proposals to address the problem.

Board members heard staff and consultant accounts that the corrugated metal culvert has extensive corrosion and scour, producing a sinkhole near the sidewalk and a significant void under the roadway. A consultant said the culvert appears to be “corrugated, galvanized” and “has been in the ground for about 60 years plus,” and that both intake and discharge ends show heavy deterioration, limiting safe access and raising public‑safety concerns.

The board voted to declare the situation an emergency so staff could quickly obtain engineering plans and cost estimates. The chair said the site is adjacent to a heavily traveled road and asked staff to pursue proposals so the district can consider immediate stabilization and a longer‑term replacement or repair plan.

Staff said a firm (Wessler) had already performed an initial site visit and would return the following week to prepare engineering recommendations and an estimated schedule. Board members requested the engineer evaluate how much flow the culvert currently conveys, possible in‑place repair approaches (liner/pipe‑bursting/armoring) and impacts to adjacent property owners and traffic.

The emergency declaration won board approval by voice vote. Staff said proposals and an engineering plan would be presented for the board’s consideration at an upcoming meeting. The district will solicit bids or proposals for both the engineering design and the construction work, and staff will report back with recommended next steps and schedules.