A section of hillside near Interstate 69 southwest of Bloomington has collapsed again. A large depression first formed in 2016, shortly after the 27 miles of newterrain highway known as Section 4 opened to traffic. Rocks were used to stabilize the slope, but those rocks and additional soil have moved, leaving a crater near the 111.5 mile marker.
The Indiana Department of Transportation is aware of the slide and will continue monitoring it until the contractor responsible for that segment of the highway fixes it.
“We’re going to pick up anything that gets remotely toward the road,” said Harry Maginity, department of transportation spokesman. He said E & B Paving Inc. is the contractor.
E & B Paving Inc. plans to excavate the area, grade it and put rocks down. That’s similar to what was done when soil in this area slumped about two years ago. Maginity couldn’t say how long this remedy would last.
“But it will be fixed, repaired and acceptable within the contract,” he said.
As spokesman for the department of transportation’s southeast district, which includes areas along the Ohio River, Maginity said he sees slides all the time, especially after heavy rains.
Excavating, grading and placing rocks known as rip rap is a traditional fix, he said.
In some cases, giant nails are used to hold down netting that covers an unstable slope, but those are only guaranteed for five years, Maginity said.