Alva families fear road collapse after utility work

ALVA - Residents in an Alva neighborhood say utility construction work damaged the only road leading to their homes, and months later, they’re still waiting for a permanent fix as the roadway continues to sink.

Nicole Walker says the problem began in August, when contractors working on behalf of MasTec performed underground work near a canal to install data lines.

“During that process, they actually burrowed out a lot of the foundation for our culvert area,” Walker said. “Now our ground is starting to slowly erode.”

Walker says she noticed the roadway sinking shortly after the work was completed. She provided photos showing the progression of the damage, including a growing pothole and sagging asphalt.

She says MasTec approved repair efforts, but those fixes didn’t last.

“They did a patch, and instantly the patch started to fail,” Walker said. “They came back, dumped more asphalt in the hole, and it instantly started sinking even more that same day.”

Walker’s neighbor, Elida Olivares, says the damage has created a serious safety concern for families who rely on the road every day.

“My daughter’s right here in fear because we don’t know when it might collapse,” Olivares said. “It’s a very serious situation.”

Both women say the road is the only access to their properties and is used regularly by family members, visitors, and service vehicles. They also say the sinking roadway has made it difficult and dangerous to move horse trailers and RVs on and off the property.

“This is the only way on and off our property,” Walker said. “We have horses, kids on ATVs and bikes. It’s very dangerous.”

They say one of their biggest concerns is whether emergency vehicles would be able to safely reach their homes if needed.

“If we need access to emergency services, I don’t see them trying to cross this,” Walker said. “We’re going to be stuck.”

In a statement to WINK News, Lee County said the access road and the canal near the property are not county-maintained.

Meaning the county is not responsible for making repairs. WINK News reached out to MasTec through emails and a phone call regarding the homeowners’ concerns. We are still waiting to hear back.

For now, Walker and Olivares say they’re not asking for anything beyond a permanent solution that restores the road to its previous condition.

“We just want it fixed before someone gets hurt,” Walker said.