CLEVELAND — People in downtown Cleveland have been asking the same questions for weeks: What is going on with that massive sinkhole in downtown, and when will it be fixed?
The sinkhole opened up at the intersection of West 3rd Street and West St. Clair Avenue nearly two months ago.
RELATED: Downtown intersection closed Sunday morning due to sinkhole
Now, city leaders say they have some answers about a tentative reopening date and how much the project will cost.
Cleveland City Councilwoman Stephanie Howse-Jones confirmed to News 5 that repairs tied to the downtown sinkhole are expected to cost roughly $1 million.
Officials are aiming to have the intersection reopened by the Cleveland Marathon weekend, which is set for May 16.
The sinkhole first opened up on March 8 and has remained an active construction zone for weeks, frustrating some downtown workers, residents and commuters.
RELATED: When will that huge sinkhole in downtown be fixed?
“What started as a very small sinkhole turned into this,” Joe McCarthy, a downtown employee, said.
McCarthy says the situation initially caught many people off guard.
“It was pretty shocking when it initially happened," McCarthy said.
Others living and working nearby say they’ve been confused by how long repairs have taken.
News 5 took those concerns directly to city leaders.
After multiple calls, e-mails and outreach efforts, Howse-Jones agreed to an interview at Cleveland City Hall to explain what caused the collapse and why repairs became so extensive.
According to Howse-Jones, the issue stemmed from a collapsed water and sewer line roughly 30 feet underground.
“To identify the actual source when there’s water and nine different utilities in that space, it just took some time,” she said.
She says the city’s aging infrastructure — combined with multiple underground utilities packed into the area — complicated the repair process.
“The Cleveland of 130 years ago is not the Cleveland of today,” Howse-Jones said.
Crews are now reinforcing the area while coordinating with multiple utility partners.
Officials say the project has become far more involved than originally anticipated.
Howse-Jones acknowledged the estimated million-dollar price tag is significant, but says the work is expected to be covered through a city contingency fund.
“Yesterday’s price is not today’s price and will not be tomorrow’s price,” she said. “Things are exceedingly expensive.”
News 5 also reached out to the City of Cleveland and Cleveland Water, which is overseeing the project.
The City of Cleveland referred us to a spokesperson with Cleveland Water.
In a statement, the utility agency said:
“Crews are continuing to work as efficiently and safely as possible. We anticipate the work to be completed over the next few weeks.”
Meanwhile, in a pre-produced video posted to social media this week, Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb returned to the work site.
He was recorded introducing himself and thanking crews for working around the clock, seven days a week.
Bibb says the goal is for work to be done by the Cleveland Marathon so "runners can have a great experience."
Officials with the Cleveland Marathon also told News 5 they remain confident the intersection will reopen in time for the race.
Organizers say contingency routes are available in case of delays.
A marathon spokesperson said:
“Thanks to the diligent work by repair crews we are confident it will be cleared for use by marathon weekend. In the unlikely event there are delays, secondary routes can be made available so the University Hospitals Cleveland Marathon can continue as planned.”
News 5 will continue tracking developments surrounding the downtown sinkhole repairs and the anticipated reopening timeline.
