HOOVER, Ala. (WIAT) — The city of Hoover is making significant efforts to repair a road and dam in the Riverchase community.

The city council voted at the February 6 council meeting to allocate $3 million to repair a sinkhole on Lake Forest Circle near the Riverchase Country Club.

The council says heavy rain and flooding created the sinkhole in October 2021.

There are also plans for the Riverchase Country Club to annex their property into Hoover city limits.

The city council plans to have further discussion about the annexation during the next council meeting on February 20.

City Administrator Allan Rice says the city looked into different options for repairing the road and dam, but those options presented many challenges.

“We could build a bridge, we could build a cul-de-sac, and change the access pathway, but that does not restore the integrity of the infrastructure there,” Rice said. “So over time, with more rain we have seemed to be having, the dam will continue to erode and eventually impact that infrastructure.”

Rice says Hoover is responsible for that road’s sewer line.

He says if the sewer line fails, it could cause significant environmental concerns impacting ADEM permits and the quality of life for Hoover, Shelby, and Bibb county residents.

Lake Forest Circle resident John Stewart tells CBS 42 the road closure has forced him and other Hoover City School bus drivers to take alternate routes.

Another resident, Jennifer McPeters, tells CBS 42 that having the road closed limits traffic in the neighborhood.

“This road was a pass-through to get to the other side of the neighborhood, so it was consistently busy,” McPeters said.

She says having the road repaired improves the look of the neighborhood.

“It is not aesthetically pleasing, so it will be nice to have that road fixed, and I can walk my dog in that area,” McPeters said.