Roanoke Rapids City Council next week is expected to appropriate $160,000 to solve drainage problems on Smoot Drive that are causing severe erosion and sinkholes in the neighborhood.

Public Works Director Larry Chalker told council at its work session this evening $75,000 was appropriated last year for the work. “It ended up well over that.”

Erosion is out of control, he said, showing slides. “There is a sinkhole between two residences. There are four sinkholes that we see.”

City Manager Joseph Scherer said a yard is about to fall in and Chalker said there is fear the problems are about to take away a storage building.

Chalker said flooding in August did not help matters. “It did not help us. It really accelerated it.”

Heavy rains, Chalker said, carry massive amounts of water from Bolling Road. The state Department of Transportation has not been willing to get involved in the project, he said.

“It’s a major issue for the property owners,” Scherer said. “If we wait much longer it could end up in court.”

Mayor Emery Doughtie said he would feel more comfortable addressing the matter at next Tuesday’s regular council meeting, which starts at 7 p.m.

Chalker said following the meeting there are several things contributing to the problem, including growth in the community. “As we develop we produce more water and it carries with a tremendous amount of energy.”

Alleviating the problem will mean installing pressure pipes and creating swales over them. “If the pipes fill up it will come into the swales.”

Chalker said many residents believe the redesign of Bolling Road played a part in the issues.