We're making great progress on Lemp Street! The new pipe is officially installed and they are setting the manhole on 20th Street today. Our team is currently working on a pavement plan, and we'll provide those updates as we have them. In the meantime, you will still have some gravel on the roadway. Neighbors can expect the alley and roadway to reopen SOON. Thank you again for your continued patience.

Crews have removed the old storm drain pipe, which was made from aluminum. They are installing new PVC pipe, which has a longer lifespan and is resistant to corrosion from the soil and damage from tree roots. The work involved using a trench box to limit the width of trench needed to replace the pipe.

The pipe is expected to be installed by the end of the week. After the pipe is installed, the road will be repaved. Weather dependent, Lemp Street between 20^th and 21^st is expected to reopen by the middle of next week.

On Friday, August 25th, ACHD Commissioners held an emergency meeting to approve emergency repairs to the pipe and roadway. Repairs are estimated to cost approximately $233,000. The contractor working on repairs is L² Excavation, LLC.

Neighbors who normally place trash cans in the alleyway between 20^th and 21^st Streets for pickup are reminded to place cans on Heron Street or West Ridenbaugh while road closures are in place. The day and time of collection will not change.

Scheduled work continues on nearby 20^th Street between Irene and Ridenbaugh Streets. The existing pipe will also be replaced on this section of roadway as planned.

Trench box installed at site of sinkhole on Lemp Street.

Trench box installed at site of sinkhole on Lemp Street.

Old aluminum pipe pulled from Lemp Street.

New PVC Pipe that will be installed underneath Lemp Street.

ATTENTION NORTH END NEIGHBORS: The sinkhole on Lemp St. will impact the waste pickup location for residents on Lemp Street, between 20th and 21st, as well as those neighbors that typically use the 21st St. alley between W. Ridenbaugh and Heron on collection day. Please place your cans on Heron Street or W. Ridenbaugh while road closures/restrictions are in place. Your day and time of collection will not change. We appreciate your patience during these unexpected repairs.

ACHD continues to monitor and plan for the repair of a sink hole in the Boise north end that formed after a storm drain pipe failed.

Crews added barricades to the impacted area on Lemp Street yesterday evening as a temporary safety measure. ACHD engineers and maintenance teams have rapidly deployed to gather further information, utilizing technology to examine the remaining pipe. This information was used to formulate a plan for a permanent replacement of the pipe between 20th and 21st streets.

ACHD called an emergency Commission meeting to provide authorization to ACHD Director, Bruce Wong, to expend funding for immediate work on the sink hole.

The road closure, previously in the middle of the block, has expand to a full closure of Lemp Street from 20th Street to 21st Street. Alley access is also restricted at Lemp Street. Please note there is continued unrelated utility work in the area causing additional closures. Vehicles should detour using Ridenbaugh and Irene streets. Pedestrians, should follow marked detours, which may shift as ACHD works to complete ongoing projects to make accommodations for this unexpected repair.

It is expected that the contractor will begin mobilizing early next week to begin the repair work. Once work begins, ACHD estimates the repair will take a couple of weeks.

The Highway District would like to thank residents for reporting the hole, allowing the team to act quickly and ensure the safety of neighbors and commuters. ACHD will work closely to keep area residents informed and appreciates their patience as necessary repairs are made.

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Thursday, August 24, 2023:

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TRAFFIC ADVISORY: Trench Failure on Lemp Street to Undergo Emergency Repairs

BOISE — A trench has failed in downtown Boise, creating a large opening in the middle of the street.

The sinkhole, located in the middle of Lemp Street, runs approximately 40-feet down the center of the roadway between 20^th and 21^st streets. Crews are working to install temporary jersey barriers around the 8-foot deep by 8-foot wide hole. Barricades will also be installed for nighttime visibility. ACHD will consult with drainage engineers to formulate a plan for permanent repairs.

Once jersey barriers are in place, local traffic will be allowed in the area, however ACHD asks commuters to use an alternative route if possible. Drivers should move slowly and use extreme caution in the area, keeping an eye out of road crews working to make these necessary repairs.

Updates with be provided by ACHD as they become available.