In the background, a pickup truck and large Centerpoint Energy truck wade through a flooded road to complete repairs. The water flood line rises above the halfway point on the pickup truck tires. In the foreground, a section of the road is completely collapsed and flood water is flowing from the jagged edges into a sinkhole below.

Hurricane Harvey Sinkhole Repair

Critical infrastructure restoration

Project Facts

Location Houston, Texas

Overview

A heavily-used segment of the Harris County Toll Road system faced significant flooding during Hurricane Harvey, resulting in a sizable sinkhole at the intersection of Boheme and Beltway 8. Working tirelessly alongside roadway construction crews, we completed the sinkhole repair within 5 days. This rapid restoration of the road to a safe and operational state stands as a testament to our team’s cohesive planning, collaborative efforts, and effective communication.

About the project

This sinkhole compromised the tie-back retention system, developing on the backside of the retaining wall and allowing water to infiltrate the depressed roadway through wall and pavement joints. The Harris County Toll Road Authority turned to us for emergency response and a swift solution to restore one of Houston’s vital traffic arteries.

The flooded roadway needed to be gradually pumped out. Our team meticulously monitored the wall’s condition, ensuring balanced water pressure on both sides. We also devised a temporary wall stabilization system, incorporating 120 braces to offer support while flowable fill replaced the lost soil in the sinkhole. Once the flowable fill had set, the braces were promptly removed.