The Shelter Rock Road sinkhole in Danbury will need further repairs.  It was patched up and backfilled Friday for the weekend.  The sinkhole formed when a more than 50-year old storm sewer collapsed.  The catch basin is closed off near the intersection with Cross Street. 

Public Works Director Antonio Iadarola called it a significant collapse and not an easy fix.  But the road was able to reopen after the temporary paving was done. 

In addition to the age of the pipe, there's an extensive grade so when the water comes through, it moves quickly.  Iadarola says any sediment will scour the bottom of the pipe.  He says it literally ate through the coating and the metal, creating a hollow bottom to the pipe.  He added that the truck traffic on that road is heavy and, over time, collapsed the road. 

Iadarola noted that the recent significant rainfall also took a lot of the road bedding away.