TYLER, Texas — UPDATE: All lanes of traffic are open on Rice Road between South Broadway Avenue and Old Bullard Road.
The northbound lane of Old Bullard Road, north of Rice Road, will remain closed until further notice due to repairs from the sinkhole.
City of Tyler officials say Rice Road between South Broadway Ave and Old Bullard Road in Tyler will be closed until at least the end of the week while workers repair damages due to a sinkhole on Rice Road that opened up Thursday afternoon.
Factors that have set back the completion include the location of telecommunication, fiber, gas and other utility lines buried in the area. Additionally, the weather, age of the infrastructure, and the depth to reach the bottom of the manhole also led to the extension of previously anticipated completion dates, according to city of Tyler spokesperson, LouAnn Campbell.
Campbell said the street and intersection will remain closed until the repairs are made.
Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes and avoid this area. Barricades are up and police will divert traffic away from this stretch of Rice Road until the street can be repaired.
A storm sewer line under the ground was damaged, which caused saturation in the area next to a wastewater line and manhole, Campbell said.
She said the saturation could have infiltrated the sewer line. This causes the sewer system to become infiltrated with soil and it can harm the whole system, the city said.
Contractors are continuing to work on repairs and replace the manhole and fix any areas of the stormwater system along with the any parts of the sewer line that are compromised.
City workers found the sinkhole before anyone drove into it. City officials know none of the asphalt has been undermined.
"We want everything including the stormwater infrastructure, the wastewater lines and manholes to be repaired and replaced while we have this area open," Campbell said. "We ask for your patience and for everyone to drive with caution in the area."