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Our View: The importance of repairing Bullhook

A part of Havre’s 3rd Street caved in recently, and the flowing Bullhook could be seen from the surface.

Bullhook, where it runs through Havre, has been covered over almost completely through the years as the city of Havre grew around — and over — the creek that drains from the south side into the Milk River.

The cave-in may not be a cause for panic, but it certainly is a cause for concern.

A good citizen rerouted traffic around the hole until authorities could come and take charge, but that might not happen the next time.

School buses and all kinds of motor vehicles pass on the streets that were constructed on top of Bullhook.

Property owners and residents are also concerned, first, about their safety, and second, about whose responsibility it is to pay for repairs to ensure there will be no collapse.

The city of Havre was right to begin an engineering study of the city's drainage system, with an emphasis on Bullhook.

As the process moves along, and we hope it moves quickly, the city should keep all residents and especially those along Bullhook’s path, informed about just what they learn.

From what we can gather, the covering of Bullhook took place a little at a time over the years. It took place long before any of today’s public officials were in office, probably before they were born.

So city officials today have been handed a big problem that they had nothing to do with creating but now have to deal with.

In the coming months, lots of information will be uncovered, probably some of it contradictory.

Straightening out the stories and fixing the infrastructure so there is no repeat cave-ins will be hard, but it’s got to be the city’s first priority.

Several neighborhoods and one of the city’s finest commercial streets is at stake.

 

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