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# Ocean Park Boulevard sinkhole to cost $1 million and two months to repair
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/andy-fixmer-daily-press-crews-remove-the-debris-from-the-giant-sinkhole-that-col-lapsed-on-ocean-park-boulevard-sinkhole-believed-to-take-months-to-re/
- Published: 2003-01-03T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T01:15:47.000Z
- Author: Andrew Fixmer
- Tags: Environment, Ocean Park, #archive-import

*Sinkhole largest in SM history*

It’s going to take $1 million and two months to fix the giant sinkhole on Ocean Park Boulevard, officials said.

The nearly 1,000-foot-long stretch of roadway that collapsed last Saturday will be closed off to vehicles until the giant hole can be filled, city officials said.

To pay for the repairs, the city will have to tap into its city water fund, which is funded by fees collected from residents, officials said.

“It’s too bad it happened, but we will get it repaired,” said Councilman Herb Katz. “There is emergency money available for when this kind of stuff happens.”

On Saturday, at about 8 p.m., a large portion of the intersection of Ocean Park Boulevard and Euclid Street gave way, sinking approximately 15 feet deep. Two days later, another section of Ocean Park Boulevard near the intersection of 11th Street also collapsed.

Officials believe the sand beneath the street was rapidly eroded when a 12-inch wide high pressure water main erupted, releasing about 1.5 million gallons of water before it was contained.

When the water sprayed out, it swept the sand beneath the roadway down the slope of Ocean Park Boulevard, until the pavement above had no support and collapsed. No one was injured in the incident, and no private property sustained serious damage.

The ruptured main initially left about 200 residents living on Ocean Park Boulevard between Euclid and 11th streets without water, which city workers were able to restore by Sunday afternoon, officials said.

“It was a big rupture in a good-sized water main and a lot of water was moving at a high velocity,” said Santa Monica Water Utilities Manager Gil Borboa. “I’ve never seen anything on this size before.”

Borboa said no determination has been made about why the water main, which was installed in 1975, ruptured. Until all the asphalt is removed and the remainder of the water main is examined, officials won’t be able to determine how the break happened, he said.

“It’s hard to say whether it’s a man-made disaster,” Borboa said. “The pipe ruptured for whatever reason. We would like to determine why that happened.”

After the asphalt has been removed, Borboa said city workers will use an x-ray type machine to scan the ground underneath the street to look for other weak spots.

Borboa said city employees are investigating how the collapse occurred, and if similar sinkholes could happen at other intersections throughout the city.

It’s been more than 30 years since a similar incident occurred in Santa Monica, but never has there been a sinkhole this big, Borboa said.

“We have had other water main breaks and never had something as catastrophic as this, “ he said. “We’re trying to determine what about this situation was unique.”

Until the street can be repaired, residents have been issued permits to park on adjacent side streets, and trash is being collected at either end of the block. Make-shift pipes have been strung along the street and the sidewalk to carry water into apartment buildings and homes until the main can be repaired.

The roadway between 11th and Euclid streets will remain closed to vehicles, but sections of the sidewalks have been reopened, allowing the curious a chance to view the damage up close.

One resident who lives along the street said he appreciates the city’s fast action for restoring water and reacting to the emergency situation.

“The city was on the scene almost immediately,” said Gilbert Banuelos, who lives near the intersection of Ocean Park Boulevard and 11th Street. “They have been very good to us; very understanding of our needs.”

Even days later, Banuelos said he is in awe of the sinkhole up the street from where he lives.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “It’s a huge hole.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/010303-03_01.jpg)

Crews remove the debris from the giant sinkhole that collapsed on Ocean Park Boulevard. (Photo: Andy Fixmer/Daily Press)

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/55/9f/559f9abc-8372-4a2e-8c2d-27386da4e363/content/images/2026/10/010303-03_04.jpg)

massive sinkhole at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Ocean Park Boulevard will need a couple of months to be repaired. (Photo: File photo The)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 3, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/010303.pdf?ref=smdp.com)