The recent repaving of Urbanna streets has left manholes a few inches below the paving surface.
Town resident Billy Mayo brought the sunken manholes to the attention of the Urbanna Town Council at its April 24 meeting. Mayo said that he saw two children riding three-wheeled scooters hit a sunken manhole and fall. “We can go to the moon but we can’t patch a hole,” said Mayo, who has regularly attended council meetings for years. He suggested contacting the regional office of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).
Town Administrator Ted Costin said it is still being determined who will fix the problems, adding it may take until September to have them all repaired.
The manholes are property of the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD), but VDOT is responsible for the paving.
Sam McAdoo, director of HRSD’s Small Communities Division, told council the cost is more than $1,000 per manhole and only two or three manholes can be repaired in a day. The asphalt must be cut around the metal manhole so it can be lifted and the base built up, McAdoo told council.
He said some manholes have been completely covered by asphalt in West Point.
