A 20-foot sinkhole has opened in the middle of Flat Creek Road in the Town of Gilboa.
The road has been closed since April when a mudslide—really a slope failure—dumped about 100 cubic yards of mud and debris in the road.
Even after the debris was removed, the road remained closed to traffic because of traffic concerns.
Valid, Supervisor Alicia Terry said Thursday, despite farm gates closing off the road at both ends and plenty of detour signs, people continue to drive through.
A tractor-trailer got stuck at the 990V end of Flat Creek Road last Tuesday, Ms. Terry said, and the driver couldn’t figure out how to get out until the Highway Superintendent opened the gates at the other end.
Then, Thursday, DPW discovered the 20-foot-deep hole caused by a culvert pipe pulling apart under cracking pavement in the middle of the road.
Ms. Terry said she’d intentionally requested the farm gates so vehicles could get through if there was ever an emergency at the nearby New York Power Authority.
But now, she said, she’s asked for immoveable Jersey barriers.