A week after a small sinkhole opened up next to the offices of the Snoqualmie Valley Record and MK Properties in downtown Snoqualmie, there’s hardly any sign that it was ever there. City crew and contractors made quick work of the problem, caused by the separation of an underground stormwater drain pipe during a torrential rain May 4, and as of Friday afternoon, May 12, the site on River Street a block from the Snoqualmie River was excavated, repaired, refilled and awaiting fresh layers of concrete and asphalt.

The sinkhole opened up on River Street the evening of May 4 after a severe thunderstorm moved through the area. City staff immediately blocked off the area and planned to send a camera into the storm drain to assess the damage.

The camera wasn’t available until Tuesday, May 9, and the hole grew noticeably each day until repairs began. Footage from the camera, sent into the system Tuesday afternoon, showed that a section of storm drain pipe, sloping down to the river less than a block away, had become disconnected, causing water to back up out of the drain and onto the street and sidewalk.

Workers from Welwest Construction excavated the area around the drain pipe, down to 12 feet, to make the repairs, which were completed Friday morning. They found no evidence of the printing press, rumored to be buried under the Record building decades ago, while completing the repair, but they did find an old Stop sign, one of them said.

Concrete and asphalt work will be completed next week, when drier weather is in the forecast.

City staff also said that the building did not appear to have settled at all because of the sinkhole.

The collapsing ground caused sections of the curb and sidewalk to shift. Carol Ladwig/Staff Photo

A closer look at the sinkhole. Carol Ladwig/Staff Photo

By Friday, May 12, the repairs were done and the road and sidewalk were awaiting new asphalt and concrete. Carol Ladwig/Staff Photo