A sinkhole on Gamage Avenue, between Wilson Street and Davis Avenue, in Auburn forced the closure Sunday of a short section of roadway. The ground beneath the pavement surrounding a sinkhole is considered unstable, creating the possibility of further road collapse, according to officials. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
AUBURN — Police advised in a Facebook post Sunday that motorists travel with caution after several roads had been affected by rain runoff.
Gamage Avenue was closed between Davis Avenue and Wilson Street due to a sinkhole formed by runoff.
The ground beneath the pavement surrounding a sinkhole is considered unstable and could lead to further road collapse, according to the Auburn Public Works Department.
Auburn Public Works Director Scott Holland said the short stretch of Gamage Avenue will likely be closed Monday.
“There are both sewer and storm drains in the area, so without further investigation and digging up the road, we won’t be able to tell which it is,” Holland said. “We are going to work side by side with the Sewer District tomorrow (Monday) to try and solve it. We will keep the road closed until then.”
Liz Allen, a spokesperson for the city, reported at about 7 p.m. that Danville Corner Road was down to one lane from Mountain View Drive to Old Danville Road due to a shoulder washout near 281 Danville Corner Road.
“(It) undermined the road and we are working on it now,” Allen said. “Worst case, one lane will be closed.”
Allen also reported that Stetson Road was down to one lane from Schooner Estates at 200 Stetson Road to Center Street.
The area near Roopers Beverage & Redemption at 545 Minot Ave. was also closed for a short time Sunday.
Other areas affected by runoff included two sections of Washington Street— near Ness Oil at 249 Washington St. and near Hackett Road— and Center Street.
Across the Androscoggin River, Kevin Gagne, director of the Lewiston Public Works Department, said the heavy rain did not force closure of major roads, but some smaller streets experienced issues.
“Overall,” Gagne said, “infrastructure remains intact.”
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