Repair work underway to fix sinkhole that forced Moraga to declare fiscal emergency

MORAGA, Calif. (KGO) -- Work is underway to repair a year-old sinkhole that's breaking the bank in one bay area town.

Drivers in Moraga have faced delays and detours at Center Street and Rheem Boulevard since the sinkhole opened up last year.

Repairs had to wait until Caltrans signed off on the plans.

Part of the job includes replacing an eight-foot culvert under the busy intersection.

"We're finally there after a lengthy process," Moraga Public Works Director Edric Kwan said.

Kwan was anxious to get started on a project that's sat mostly idle since a large culvert there failed during days of heavy rain.

"The first step of course is mobilization. That means they're getting all of their equipment, all of their vehicles and equipment on site. They're putting up their detour signs," Kwan said.

This isn't Moraga's only problem. Just a few miles away on the other side of town there is a bridge on canyon road damaged by a landslide this past winter.

A temporary bridge there will cost more than $2 million.

The high cost of Moraga's major infrastructure repairs pushed the town council to declare a fiscal emergency last week.

"They don't have any money to fix it, so they're going to have to raise, increase taxes to pay for this sort of thing," Moraga resident Mel Anderson said.

Town leaders are looking at other funding options, perhaps a ballot measure...to pay for millions in needed repairs to other storm drains in town.

Two lanes of Rheem Boulevard will be closed until October.