Sinkhole: Road closures remain at Rouge Bouillon three weeks on

Monday 13 January 2025

The situation at Rouge Bouillon is "highly complex", according to the Infrastructure Department – with various options to manage traffic around the road closure having been considered and rejected.

Structural investigations are still taking place on the St Helier road – which remains partially closed after a burst water main caused a sinkhole on 18 December – to determine the full extent of the damage.

In an update issued last week, the Infrastructure Department said that several adjacent walls and buildings "unsafe and severely cracked".

Pictured: Several adjacent walls and buildings "unsafe and severely cracked".

Rouge Bouillon remains closed between Clarendon Road and Palmyra Road as structural investigations continue.

The Department explained that various options to manage the traffic around the closure had been considered, but that the decision to retain the current traffic arrangement had been made based on several factors.

This included concerns that reversing Clarendon Road would pose "additional safety risks for residents and pedestrians", while allowing right-turn access onto Clarendon Road from Val Plaisant could cause "severe traffic congestion".

"Reversing Midvale Road, while potentially useful, would necessitate signal junction changes, creating confusion, complications, and further safety concerns," the statement continued.

"We advise the travelling public to continue to avoid the area and use alternative routes to access town where possible."

It said the issue was being "closely monitored" to ensure public safety and that "further investigatory work is required to assess the full extent of the damage and determine how long the closure will remain in place".

It added that regular meetings were being held involving "all relevant stakeholders", including property owners impacted by the issue.

"The safety of islanders remains the top priority, and the closure will stay in effect until it is deemed safe to reopen," the statement concluded.

A further update is expected this week.