ALDOT excavated a sinkhole site on US-231 in St Clair County | Provided Photo
ALDOT excavated a sinkhole site on US-231 in St Clair County | Provided Photo
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) has reopened US-231 in St. Clair County after completing extensive repairs due to sinkhole damage. The work involved reinforcing the road's foundation with stone and geogrid material. The site, closed on Monday morning for repairs, was reopened to traffic by Tuesday evening.
Motorists should be prepared for additional lane closures on Wednesday as contractors lay down the final driving surface. In late July 2025, emergency repairs were initially made when a deep sinkhole was discovered north of SR-174. Sinkholes are common in Alabama because of underground limestone deposits that can dissolve over time, creating voids.
A thorough geotechnical study led ALDOT to excavate the sinkhole on Monday to further strengthen the highway’s foundation. During this week's work, traffic was detoured via SR-174 and US-411 around the construction area.
"We want to thank the public for their patience on this project to ensure motorists’ safety," said an ALDOT representative. Engineers at ALDOT are confident that these measures will prevent significant settling under US-231 in the future.
Information from this article can be found here.
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