Wildwood Drive Temporarily Closed for Emergency Repairs
St. Johns County to Temporarily Close Wildwood Drive for Emergency Repairs to Drainage Pipe
St. Johns County will temporarily close Wildwood Drive from Tuesday, Aug. 8, to Friday, Aug. 18, weather permitting, for emergency repairs to an underground drainage pipe. The repairs will require a complete closure of Wildwood Drive at the location of the affected pipe, about 1,000 feet west of U.S. 1. Detours will be established with necessary signage to provide advanced warning and directions for roadway users.
“Communications with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Rescue, School Board Transportation, and other critical service providers have taken place prior to the closure to ensure County operations are coordinated,” St. Johns County Public Works Director Greg Caldwell said.
Public Works was notified of the roadway failure on Wildwood Drive on Saturday, July 29. Public Works staff responded and discovered a partial collapse of a metal drainage pipe that passes underneath Wildwood Drive. Due to the pipe’s collapse, the roadway and road shoulder were recessed. Public Works staff quickly backfilled the recessed area and placed steel plates over the affected area to ensure public safety. Further structural inspection revealed the collapse was caused by the separation of pipe segments and deterioration along the waterline, which is normal for metal drainage pipes. Public Works immediately engaged with one of the County’s regular contractors, G&H Underground Construction, Inc., to initiate the emergency repair process and set a timeline for the completion of the project.