Who's responsible for repairs on this Houston street? Discussion continues while sinkholes remain

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Local businesses in Houston's Second Ward are experiencing headaches after an important stretch of roadway has been riddled with sinkholes for months.

The 6200 block of Industrial Way is home to multiple holes in the road, a problem that people who work nearby told ABC13 is causing them great concerns.

"For one, it's unsafe; that's the biggest thing," Douglas Hargrove, a plant manager at the nearby Cemex facility, said. "They're worried about their safety. As you can see, we created a small walking path to get back and forth, but at any given moment, we believe the ground beneath us could cave in, and then we are hurt."

Hargrove explained the headaches that have occurred since the first sinkhole appeared months ago.

"The first sinkhole appeared back in February of this year. The next two appeared on my property right off the street, but there's a direct correlation between the initial sinkhole and last Friday this fourth sinkhole appeared," Hargrove said.

Hargrove stated that there is an ongoing discussion about who is responsible for the repairs. He said he is unsure whether the City of Houston or Union Pacific Railroad is responsible for the repairs.

ABC13 initially reached out to both entities on July 17.

A spokesperson for the City of Houston responded with a statement that read in part:

"The city is aware of this issue and has promptly responded to remedy the immediate safety condition by installing the metal plate. We are actively coordinating with Union Pacific to determine ownership and responsibility. The City continues to monitor this incident with regular field visits while ownership is verified. The city is ready to implement repairs if the city is responsible."

A city spokesperson added that identifying responsibility for the hole may be a complex task, since no agreements/records have been identified yet.

When ABC13 asked Union Pacific Railroad whether it owns a strip of land nearby and who is responsible for the sinkhole damage on the 6200 block of Industrial Way, a spokesperson sent the following statement.

"We haven't received any reports of a rough railroad crossing in that location. If viewers encounter a rough railroad crossing, they can report it."

ABC13 asked Douglas Hargrove if Cemex bears any responsibility, and he said: "Not to my knowledge, according to what I'm receiving from my team."

On Aug. 6, the City of Houston's Public Works Department (HPW) provided an update on its efforts to determine who is responsible for the repairs.

"A final determination has not been made in regard to who owns the tract of land. At this point, HPW does not believe it belongs to the City of Houston. Nonetheless, HPW is still reviewing real estate property records to be certain," an HPW representative said.

Public Works added that regardless of who owns the land, it is working with Union Pacific to develop a plan for repairs and to reopen the roadway.