Sinkhole on Ramsey Avenue in Hillside is expanding, posing problems for the town
Hillside Township leaders told News 12 New Jersey that the sinkhole is expanding due to weather events.
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The Hillside Township community is still dealing with sinkhole safety concerns several months after the road initially caved in. An area of Ramsey Avenue, just under the Route 78 overpass, collapsed following heavy rainfall.
Hillside Township leaders told News 12 New Jersey that the sinkhole is expanding due to weather events. It originally developed in April and became worse in August.
"It's been getting bigger and bigger," Lisa Bonanno, Hillside Township Council vice president said. "You know we really have had a lot of rain and a lot of strange weather occurrences in the state, so it's only been sinking deeper."
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Drivers that do travel on Ramsey Avenue are forced to turn around near the sinkhole. A portion of the road was closed, and the area remains blocked to traffic. Council members say this is putting a strain on local businesses. Town leaders say the sinkhole is also causing structural concerns.
"Our concern as a council, as well as what is it doing to the structure of 78 or that bridge over it," Craig Epps, Hillside Township President said. "We don't want it to collapse down. So, we want to get it done as soon as possible."
According to town officials, this is a multimillion-dollar construction project, and the cost just keeps going up as the affected area expands and inflation raises the rates for repairs.
Town leaders said that they have been working with state officials on the project and they are waiting on requested reimbursements for repairs from the state.
