The Hidden Risks Beneath Our Roads: How Aging Pipelines Contribute to Sinkholes and Roadway Failures

Roadway collapses and sinkholes often seem to appear without warning. A street suddenly gives way, traffic is disrupted, and emergency crews rush to stabilize the area. But in most cases, the true cause of these failures has been developing quietly for years beneath the surface.

Aging pipelines play a significant—and often overlooked—role in undermining roadways. As buried infrastructure deteriorates, it can slowly destabilize the soil and pavement above, eventually leading to settlement, collapse, or sinkholes.

Aging Infrastructure and Subsurface Damage

Much of today’s water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure was installed decades ago. Over time, pipes naturally degrade: materials weaken, joints loosen, and small leaks begin to form. While these leaks may go unnoticed at the surface, their impact underground can be severe.

Even minor, persistent leaks can erode surrounding soils, washing away fine materials and creating underground voids. As these voids expand, the ground above loses support, increasing the likelihood of roadway settlement or sudden collapse.

In regions with soluble rock formations—such as limestone—these risks are even greater. Water escaping from aging pipelines can accelerate the dissolution of the rock, enlarging underground cavities and significantly increasing the potential for sinkholes.

Climate Change Is Accelerating the Problem

Climate change is intensifying the stresses placed on aging pipelines and roadways. Heavy rainfall events increase infiltration and soil erosion around leaking pipes. Drought conditions can lower groundwater levels, destabilizing soils that once provided support. Fluctuating groundwater tables and extreme freeze–thaw cycles further strain already weakened infrastructure.

As a result, pipeline failures are occurring more frequently and less predictably. Emergency repairs, while necessary in the moment, are often costly, disruptive, and reactive. Worse, they frequently address only the visible surface damage—leaving the underlying pipeline issues unresolved and setting the stage for repeat failures.

Proactive Inspection and Condition Assessment

A smarter approach begins with proactive inspection and condition assessment. Today’s advanced inspection technologies allow utilities and departments of transportation to detect leaks, voids, and structural defects long before damage appears at the surface.

By understanding the true condition of buried pipelines, agencies can identify high-risk areas, prioritize repairs, and coordinate pipeline rehabilitation with roadway projects. This data-driven approach extends asset lifespans, reduces emergency repairs, and significantly improves public safety.

Targeted Rehabilitation: Fixing the Root Cause

Inspection alone is not enough—targeted rehabilitation completes the process. Trenchless and minimally invasive rehabilitation methods allow utilities to stabilize failing pipelines, prevent further soil loss, and protect roadways without extensive excavation or disruption to traffic and surrounding communities.

Rather than repeatedly repairing surface symptoms, targeted rehabilitation addresses the root cause of roadway failures, delivering long-term resilience and better returns on infrastructure investments.

Looking Beneath the Surface

Sinkholes and roadway failures may grab headlines, but they are often symptoms of deeper infrastructure challenges hidden underground. Proactive inspection, thorough condition assessment, and strategic rehabilitation provide a safer, more cost-effective path forward—protecting communities, maximizing public investments, and keeping roads reliable.

At CPM Pipelines, we believe the key to resilient infrastructure lies beneath the surface. Understanding what’s underground today is essential to preventing failures tomorrow.

Learn more at cpmpipelines.com or contact us to discuss proactive solutions for your infrastructure challenges.