Project to Fix Oak Creek Sinkholes

Easley officials are moving to eliminate a dangerous situation in the Oak Creek subdivision.

“We've had a significant problem in the Oak Creek neighborhood with sinkholes, more developing,” City Administrator Fox Simons said.

The city commissioned a study on the problem several years ago, one that came back with “astronomically high” prices, he said.

Clink Link with the firm of Florence and Hutcheson offered to bring fresh eyes to the project, Simons said.

“He came back with a cost estimate that was much more affordable,” he said.

Monday night, Easley City Council approved awarding a $78,000 contract to Florence and Hutcheson for engineering services, project management and construction administration.

“This will be a very messy project,” Simons said. “It has to be done.”

The problem is effecting about 20 to 25 homes in the Oak Creek neighborhood, Simons said.

“We have some sinkholes now, more will be developing,” he said. “This will take care of the issue, the public safety concern.”

Simons said he was contacted about kids attempting to jump the sinkholes in the neighborhood.

“It's a very dangerous situation,” Simons said. “We need to take care of that.”

Simons said the city hoped to have engineers and surveyors on the site soon, following council's vote. He said the city would be contacting neighborhood residents about the project, and that a community meeting would be held in April.

Link said his firm has done preliminary studies on the neighborhood's drainage system.

“We determined that the basically the entire drainage system through the neighborhood, the main part of the drainage system, the trunk line, is in very bad condition,” he said. “It's pretty much deteriorated and is the main reason for the sinkholes that have developed.”

“We're looking at a complete replacement of the corrugated 42-inch metal pipe,” Link said. “We propose to replace it with a reinforced concrete pipe, that would not require us to ever have to revisit this situation ever again.”

Final engineering, surveying and environmental permitting must be completed before final construction specifications can be developed for the project.

“Then we will bid the project, award it and oversee it throughout construction,” Link said.

Construction could begin in July and conclude in October.

“This has been a long, ongoing situation,” Mayor Larry Bagwell said. “It's time to get it done.”