SR 51 Sinkhole Repair Wins Award

An area Department of Transportation project receives special recognition.

The Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association presented the Georgia Department of Transportation with Project of the Year for Emergency Repairs for its repair of a sinkhole on Highway 51 at Lake Hartwell in 2014.

A sinkhole ten feet square and 20 feet deep opened on May 6, 2014 overtaking the northbound lane of Highway 51 at Lake Hartwell.

The Georgia DOT discovered a pipe was rusted 35 to 40 feet under the highway creating the sinkhole.

Almost a 1/3 mile long section of Highway 51 and well over 10,000 tons of dirt were excavated to install a new drainage pipe.

The new pipe was 150 feet long and 13 feet in diameter.

The roadway reopened October 23, 2014 and repairs cost less than $5 million.

Tony Voyles, Area Engineer serving Hart County served as Designer and Project Manager of the repair.

He accepted the award representing Georgia DOT.

In all, the Georgia DOT received four awards from the Georgia Chapter of the American Public Works Association.