For those who have the downtown portion of Lauderdale Street in their daily drive, navigating traffic cones and caution signs has almost become a way of life.

Two sinkholes, created by collapsed storm drains near the Dallas County Courthouse, have been a hazard for months, but the end to that hazard may be just a few days away.

Ray Hogg, a contract engineer for the city of Selma, told the Selma City Council Tuesday evening that repair work on sinkholes, and drains, will begin Tuesday, Sept. 2.

“We talked with the contractor and decided that it would be best that he not start this week, but start Tuesday after the holiday weekend,” Hogg said.

Hogg, the city and the contractor, John Woods Construction, held a pre-construction conference Wednesday.

Hogg said work will first begin on the portion of Lauderdale Street north of Alabama Avenue, next to the Dallas County Courthouse. Once that section is completed, work on the southern section, near the Federal Courthouse, will begin.

Doing one section at a time, Hogg said, would reduce the amount of traffic disruption around the courthouse.

“He has 30 days [to complete the project] but it won’t take that long,” Hogg told the council. “We have pretty good weather this time of year. I would anticipate probably about a week for each section.”

John Woods Construction was the winning bidder for the project, ultimately negotiating the project cost to $44,500.

This section of Lauderdale Street has been a problem for the city since the first storm drain collapse was experienced when a sinkhole formed in Bienville Park, near where Lauderdale Street intersects with Water Avenue. One month later, in January, a second sinkhole formed on the street, south of Alabama Avenue.

The third sinkhole formed in June near the Dallas County Courthouse, north of Alabama Avenue.