Route 851 (Dominion Drive) just west of Route 29 is closed to through traffic due to a failing drainage pipe that runs underneath the entrance to 29th Place Shopping Center.
The Seminole Trail and Berkmar Drive entrances to 29th Place are open, as is the entrance to First Citizens Bank on Dominion Drive.
The soil around the pipe has eroded away, creating a cavity underneath the shopping center entrance that extends underneath Dominion Drive. To avoid the danger of the road or entrance settling into the cavity, the road and entrance will remain closed until the pipe is replaced and repairs are complete.
The Virginia Department of Transportation estimates that it will take about a month to complete the repair work, because an overhead utility line must be relocated before a VDOT crew can begin excavating and replacing the damaged pipe. VDOT is coordinating the work with the utilities to ensure that the repairs are done safely and without disrupting service to customers.
Motorists should avoid the area and use alternate routes. Updates about this incident and other real-time travel information can be found on the 511 Virginia website, the free VDOT 511 mobile app or by calling 511 from any phone in Virginia. Local updates are also posted to Twitter.com/VaDOTCulp.
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