Storm water repairs to take place in Verona this month

Emergency repairs to a sinkhole and stormwater pipe in Verona are set to begin this month.

A hole about 20-feet wide and 10-feet deep opened up at Second Avenue and Church Street – causing a manhole to open – and stormwater washed away a portion of the roadway.

Borough Engineer Matt Pitsch said a 24-inch water line about 20 feet deep in that area, which flows into a culvert about 30 feet deep along Wildwood Avenue, failed and caused the hole as a result of July storms.

The intersection was fenced off and other barriers were installed nearby to help with traffic.

Council awarded the estimated $144,000 project to Pampena Landscaping and Construction. The Plum-based company was the lowest of six bidders.

Repairs will begin at Second and Wood streets at a manhole and carry down Second to Wildwood Avenue.

Work includes filling the hole and replacing about 700 feet of storm sewer line above the existing one.

The borough plans to keep Second Street open as much as possible. Intermittent road closures are expected along Wood Street. Flaggers will be directing traffic. The project’s expected to take five to six weeks.

Pitsch said it’s an unbudgeted expense, and borough officials were able to manage it without having to borrow money.

“We couldn’t just spot repair it,” Pitsch said. “We had to go beyond that so it never happens again. Our hope is to have very minimal closures. We ask residents to find alternate routes if possible, and proceed with caution when using those routes.”