St. Johns County has temporarily closed Wildwood Drive for emergency repairs to an underground drainage pipe.
The repairs require a complete closure of Wildwood Drive at the location of the affected pipe, about 1,000 feet west of U.S. 1. Detours have been established with necessary signage to provide advanced warning and directions for roadway users.
The road is expected to reopen Friday, Aug. 18.
“Communications with the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Rescue, School Board Transportation and other critical service providers have taken place prior to the closure to ensure county operations are coordinated,” St. Johns County Public Works Director Greg Caldwell said.
Public Works was notified of the roadway failure on Wildwood Drive on July 29. Staff responded and discovered a partial collapse of a metal drainage pipe that passes underneath Wildwood Drive.
Due to the pipe’s collapse, the roadway and road shoulder were recessed. Public Works staff quickly backfilled the recessed area and placed steel plates over the affected area to ensure public safety.
Further structural inspection revealed the collapse was caused by the separation of pipe segments and deterioration along the waterline, which is normal for metal drainage pipes. Public Works immediately engaged with one of the county’s regular contractors, G&H Underground Construction Inc., to initiate the emergency repair process and set a timeline for the completion of the project.
