Tile failure leaves massive hole on Paris square

Tile archway under the highway, at East Court and South Main Streets, failed Monday, Jan. 29, leaving a gaping car-sized hole on the corner in front of Paris Realty.

Several small pipes feed into that spot under where the tile archway failed, as part of Paris’ major subterranean system for storm runoff.

Steven Kemper, Superintendent for Water & Sewer Maintenance at the City of Paris, was onsite with a backhoe that temporarily blocked oncoming traffic from that point in the road.

Kemper said the city has multiple options to fix the hole and it will be permanently repaired within the next couple days.