WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?: Aurora's sinkhole problem on Yonge gets drained

Street reduced to 1 lane in both directions

Yorkregion.com
August 24, 2020

Traffic is diverted around the construction work being done on Yonge Street between Industrial Parkway and Henderson Drive. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of the year. August 10, 2020
 - Steve Somerville/Torstar

The region is upgrading the underground piping system along Yonge Street in Aurora to help prevent future sinkholes.

JUST THE FACTS:

• Location: Yonge Street between Henderson Drive and Industrial Parkway South;

• Construction started in early May and was expected to be complete by the end of 2020. But after discovering unsuitable site conditions, construction was activity halted. Project completion is dependent upon further site testing;

• The project includes installing an underground piping system to drain groundwater, replacing storm sewers and a watermain, and reconstructing that portion of Yonge;

• Sinkholes have been forming in the area for more than a decade and remedial work was done in 2014. Despite repairs, sinkholes continue to emerge;

• Construction crews have installed metal plates on the roadway and installed a pump system to drain out the groundwater so construction can proceed;

• Yonge is reduced to one lane in both directions;

• The budget for the project is $4.6 million.