New sink hole opens at Schnoor and Howard; intersection closed

The intersection of Howard Road and Schnoor Avenue, where traffic is being diverted while crews work to repair a sinkhole that opened in the pavement Wednesday while repair work was being done on the Schnoor Avenue sewer main. (Wendy Alexander)

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Repairs on a 3-foot-by-4-foot sinkhole in the pavement are expected to keep the intersection of Howard Road and Schnoor Avenue closed until late next week.

According to Erick Smith, a foreman for Floyd Johnston Construction Co., Inc., of Clovis, problems arose when the sinkhole opened up as work was being done on sewage lines on Schnoor Avenue on Wednesday night. The pavement opened up beneath an asphalt grinder.

“As we were grinding, the asphalt gave away and the grinder sank into the hole,” Smith said.

A tow truck then had to be called in to pull the 19-ton grinder out of the hole...