Sinkhole Repairs Continue in Sheriff’s Parking Lot

BELLEFONTE — A sinkhole that opened up in the west parking lot of the Centre County Sheriff’s Department in Bellefonte is currently under repair.

During the Aug. 22 Board of Commissioners meeting, county Administrator John Franek addressed the situation.

“What we found upon opening up the hole was that it was site of the former correctional facility and there was a lot of loose debris under the ground,” Franek explained. “We have removed some of that loose debris and stabilized it.”

Franek elaborated on the process.

“We’ve put in over 50 yards of flowable fill into the hole to stabilize the site and we have backfilled it with gravel. The county engineer is planning to do some survey shots this week to come up with a good paving solution now that the deficiencies have been corrected,” Franek said.

Several weeks ago, the BOC approved a service agreement with CMT Labs for engineering services at $150 per hour and a contract of up to $70,500 with LandServ Inc. to perform the repair work.

Chair Mark Higgins noted that the biggest hole at the site was “18 feet deep.”

Franek confirmed that.

“We had to go down 18 feet in one spot before we could find solid ground,” Franek said. “There was quite a bit of loose material underneath.”

At the BOC meeting on July 25, Franek pointed out that the parking lot had been problematic.

“There is a history of sinkholes and depressions in the parking lot. This seems to be following that trend,” Franek said that day.

The Centre County Sheriff’s Office issued this statement on Aug. 18:

“Our parking lot at the Sheriff’s Office remains closed, and construction has begun. It is still unknown when the parking lot will be re-opened, but we will update as we get more information. Our office remains fully operational and open. We are being told the sidewalk will remain open for public to enter through the main office door. As long as it remains safe for the public to use the sidewalk, this will be the continued plan. There is a temporary ADA parking spot, on the downhill side right beside the entrance/sidewalk. We apologize for any inconvenience this may or has caused and appreciate your understanding during this situation. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions or require assistance. Thank you for your cooperation.”

The Centre County BOC will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 29, at the Willowbank Building. That meeting is open to the public and will be televised live by C-NET.