MSD experienced an example of collapsing infrastructure just outside the MSD Main Office on February 9. A brick catch basin connected to the combined sewer system, which was installed in 1899, collapsed on 7th and Cedar Streets.
A crew was quickly dispatched to the site. Some of the roadway around the catch basin was removed to give the crew better access to the catch basin, and part of one lane of Cedar Street was closed during repairs. During pauses in the work, the site was plated to reopen the lane.
A vector truck carefully removed the pieces of brick that had caved in. The collapsed bricks were replaced with a 6 inch concrete “doughnut” and mortar. The catch basin was further secured with a new metal frame and lid. Finally, a concrete truck repaired the roadway around the catch basin. The repair took two days to complete.
Brick was a common sewer construction material in the 19th and early 20th century, valued for its durability. However, this infrastructure was not built to last for centuries or for the population they are now expected to serve. These brick structures experience “unraveling” over time, which is exacerbated by the increased amount of flow in the combined sewer system due to Louisville Metro’s larger population and increasing annual rainfall.
