Sinkhole repair to keep section of Mulholland closed

Frustrated motorists could be forced to wait up to two months before a large sinkhole that shut down a popular one-mile stretch of Mulholland Drive below Studio City is repaired.

A 35-foot wide, 10-foot deep hole developed along the scenic roadway during a heavy rainstorm Feb. 7, officials said. Nearly two weeks later, the damage forced the full closure of the westbound side of the road between Skyline and Bowmont drives in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Repairs will require the construction of a “bulkhead-type retaining structure,” approximately 75 feet long, which will give lateral support to the affected portion of the roadway, said Cora Jackson-Fossett, a spokeswoman for the Department of Public Works.

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday allocated $690,000 for the work.

The repairs are expected to take about six to eight weeks.

“Public Works-Street Services will mobilize to start work right away,” Jackson-Fossett said. “We have everything in place.”

City Councilman Paul Krekorian, whose district includes the affected area, said about 8,000 motorists used this particular stretch of Mulholland Drive on a daily basis.

Moreover, the damaged portion is between two major roadways -- Coldwater Canyon Drive and Laurel Canyon Boulevard -- that connect the San Fernando Valley with Beverly Hills and Hollywood.

“This washout has created an enormous traffic problem,” Krekorian said. “Even more importantly, the public is endangered by this condition.”

Residents and motorists welcomed the news that the road would eventually reopen.

“The sooner the better,” said Jonathan Corns, 38, a film editor who lives in the area. “It hasn’t been detrimental to our lives, but it will certainly be convenient to have it open.”

Corns, who was out walking Friday with his 11-month-old daughter, Sadie, strapped to his back, said that his wife would typically traverse the closed stretch of Mulholland to take their toddler to a park in Bel-Air.

He said having easy access to Coldwater Canyon made it more efficient to run errands and get to the family’s bank near Beverly Glen Boulevard.

For Kim Nwede, 35, who used to drive the closed section of Mulholland at least five times a week to visit friends and eat at her favorite Jewish deli in the San Fernando Valley, the road’s prospective reopening brought a smile.

“It’s been a huge inconvenience,” she said.

On Friday, streams of motorists slowed as they approached wooden barriers erected on Mulholland at the intersection with Skyline.

Unaware that the road had been closed, some sought directions from two parking enforcement officers, who stood guarding the route.

“I’m just going to have to turn around,” said Ricardo Esqueda, 39, who added that he was on his way to visit friends. He said it was his first time in the area in weeks.

Councilman Krekorian promised to ensure that crews would “get to work as quickly as possible.”

In the meantime, he emphasized that drivers should find alternative routes and avoid the area, if possible.

ann.simmons@latimes.com