District declares emergency after major culvert failure on Old Ridge Road

The Hoover Sanitary Stormwater District on Tuesday 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 stabilize and replace the structure.

Staff told the board that an old corrugated metal culvert — reported in the packet and inspected on site — has extensive corrosion, a large void and sinkhole formation adjacent to a heavily travelled roadway. A staff speaker said, “it’s been in the ground for about 60 years plus, and it’s really been — in my opinion — something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.” The board heard that the pipe appears to reduce in diameter where it crosses under the road and that both inlet and outlet banks show scour and loss of structural material.

The board voted to declare the situation an emergency and to authorize solicitation of emergency proposals for engineering assessments and construction to repair or replace the culvert and to stabilize the banks. Staff told the board Westover had performed an initial on‑site review and agreed to develop design proposals; staff committed to seek a budget and scope to bring back before the board as soon as practicable.

Board members and staff emphasized public‑safety concerns and traffic impacts while work is planned. One member noted the road’s heavy use and the planned bridge work in the area could complicate logistics. The board directed staff to rapidly solicit proposals so a design and an award could be considered at an upcoming meeting.

The board’s action authorizes staff to collect proposals; no construction contract was awarded at the meeting. The district will return to the board with recommended proposals, cost estimates and a construction schedule for formal approval.

The district also asked staff to coordinate homeowner notifications and to assess any potential temporary traffic control needs during emergency work.