Timeline: Downtown Pittsburgh sinkhole repairs

WPXI Bus in Sinkhole GF Default - Bus with passenger on board swallowed by a massive sinkhole

January 22, 2020 at 3:06 a.m. UTC

By WPXI.com News Staff

PITTSBURGH — In late October 2019, the Western Pa. region was captivated by a sinkhole that partially swallowed a Port Authority bus in Downtown Pittsburgh.

It became a viral sensation and the subject of memes, ornaments, T-shirts and Halloween costumes.

[ RELATED: Why did the sinkhole happen in downtown Pittsburgh? Could it happen again? ]

Here is an ever-updating timeline of what happened and the repairs still underway:

Oct. 28, 2019

A Port Authority of Allegheny County bus was swallowed by a sinkhole on 10th Street and Penn Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh while it was stopped at a traffic light.

Oct. 29, 2019

The City of Pittsburgh announced that 10th Street between Penn and Liberty avenues will be closed for about eight weeks for repairs.

Oct. 30, 2019

Rain became a concern and a large pump was placed inside the sinkhole. The mayor’ office said all of the fiber optic lines and water and sewer lines have been capped or shut off to prevent any problems from rain.

Nov. 7, 2019

Channel 11’s Aaron Martin found out that crews made an unexpected discovery in the investigation into the cause of the sinkhole. PWSA officials confirm a damaged 6-inch water line underneath the road was not connected to a nearby building, as its records indicated. It’s unclear how long the line has been disconnected, but a PWSA spokesman says it could have been decades.

Jan 10, 2020

Repairs to the sinkhole came to a grinding halt because of an underground tunnel, which is 28 feet underground, is used to supply steam to heat downtown businesses. It was damaged when the sinkhole opened up, and crews are trying to figure out how to fix it. Regarding the timetable on when the repairs will be made, city officials said they hope it won’t take six months or up to a year.

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