Road in south Lincoln neighborhood closed due to hole

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A road in a south Lincoln neighborhood closed Thursday after a water main break left behind a hole.

Around 6 a.m., crews responded to a water main break near 20th and Lake streets, according to the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department.

Officials said an LTU crew applied brine to the area to help with ice-melting.

The main break then “displaced the subgrade under the street,” leaving behind a hole.

“I was walking my dog this morning, and I saw a police car, two snowplows, tow trucks, road closed vehicles, LTU trucks. I was like, ‘What is going on down there?'” said Isaac Remboldt, a member of the Irvingdale Neighborhood Association. “Thought it was just winter weather, but then I was walking to get some coffee and saw there was a giant hole in the street.”

The service truck was stuck in a part of the hole until crews pulled it out, according to LTU.

Neighbors said the water has been turned back out and the next thing they’re worried about is traffic and navigating around the hole until it’s fixed.

That portion of Lake Street is expected to be closed until new pavement can be laid.  The timeframe for that is unknown, LTU said.

Steve Lahey, who lives nearby, said this isn’t the first water main break in the area and it won’t be the last.

“The houses in this general area were built between 100 and 125 years ago, so the water mains were put in back then,” he said. “And so many of the water mains are starting to become too old.”

Remboldt said he’s thankful that LTU came out quickly.

“I really appreciate how quickly LTU responded to it, and as a board member of the Irvingdale Neighborhood Association, I’ll make sure to follow up with the city,” he said.