City needs millions to fix sinkholes, repair roads

City and Hillsborough County officials say it will cost millions of dollars to repair sinkholes that have closed roads and forced the city to drain a water tank.

City officials say depressions that closed Timberlane Drive near Silverwood Drive and the southbound lanes of Alexander Street south of Interstate 4 are the city's top two priorities.

The city estimates it needs $2 million for sinkhole repairs; it has asked for emergency federal money to help pay for the Alexander Street repairs.

City Engineer Brett Gocka said a report by Madrid Engineering indicates an area under Alexander Street near the Elks Lodge is not able to support soil and rock.

The city has no estimates on when Alexander might reopen as the city awaits word on federal help. Crews are starting repairs on Timberlane, the main road through the Walden Lake subdivision and other roads.

Gocka said that the depressions and sinkholes at Creek Way in the Sugar Creek development are also priorities, as well as the huge hole on Kipling Court in Walden Lake.

The city also reported sinkholes in backyards and under foundations of several houses in the city that will not affect traffic but have made the homes uninhabitable.

Trapnell Road is closed due to depressions west of Timberlane Drive and east of Mud Lake Road.

The city also had to drain an elevated 500,000-gallon water tank off National Guard Drive due to a depression in the area. The city has three other tanks and water service hasn't been impacted.

Meanwhile, Steve Valdez, a spokesman for county public works, said Hillsborough has $2.6 million to repair sinkholes along rights of way and streets in the area.

Crews are working to fix and repair sinkholes at north Forbes Road, south of Pearl May; on south Forbes Road, south of Mayo Lane; on south Forbes Road, south of Jerry Smith Road, and on Trapnell Road, east of Drawdy Road.

The latest reports of sinkholes near Plant City include ones on Sydney and Glen Howell roads.

The county plans to finish the repairs before the Florida Strawberry Festival starts March 4.

The sinkholes started appearing after growers pumped millions of gallons of water to protect crops from a freeze.