Repairs planned for section of Galveston Seawall sidewalk

Galveston County work crews have erected barricades around a 3-foot-by-3-foot section of the Galveston Seawall sidewalk that has collapsed. County work crews plan to immediately repair the sinkhole, a Galveston city official said. less Galveston County work crews have erected barricades around a 3-foot-by-3-foot section of the Galveston Seawall sidewalk that has collapsed. County work crews plan to immediately repair the sinkhole, a Galveston ... more Photo: City Of Galveston Photo: City Of Galveston Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Repairs planned for section of Galveston Seawall sidewalk 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Galveston County officials are trying to figure out how a small section of the sidewalk on the Galveston Seawall at 47th Street collapsed over the weekend, a city official said.

In the meantime, work crews have erected barricades around the 3-foot-by-3-foot section out of a concern for safety.

The sinkhole is located on the sidewalk, and there is no impact on the structural integrity of the seawall itself, officials said.

"We noticed it Saturday morning, and we're not sure when it happened," said Elizabeth Rogers, spokeswoman at the City of Galveston. "It's (sinkhole) a portion of the right-of-way and people can still walk around it."

Rogers noted that Galveston County has jurisdiction over the Seawall sidewalk, and that county work crews would immediately repair the damaged section.

Hurricanes can take years of toll on a beach in minutes. Hurricane Carla, in 1961, washed away large chunks of beachfront along the Seawall.

Hurricane Alicia, in 1983, gobbled up 150 feet of beach near the island's West End.

And Hurricane Ike all but erased the beach and tossed some of the riprap over the Seawall.