A fix for Bienville Park’s storm drain collapse could be less than 45 days away.

Jerry and John Woods Construction began working Wednesday to replace the collapsed portion of the storm drain that created a sinkhole.

After pulling out broken portions of the pipe, Jerry Woods said the collapse was likely caused by age.

“It was just an old, dilapidated, brick pipe,” Woods said. “The pipe we are putting in should hold up for a while and handle the water capacity just fine.”

In place of the collapsed portion, Woods is going to place a 36-inch corrugated pipe.

The work is estimated to cost $33,800. Woods’ contract requires completion within 45 days.

Woods’ work will only replace the storm drain, according to city engineering consultant Ray Hogg. Though, Hogg said the city plans to move a monument, named for French explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville, back into the park. The monument currently sits across Water Avenue from the park, in front of the Harmony Club.

Woods’ work will not replace the brick walls that once surrounded the park, but Ward 3 councilman Greg Bjelke said he would like to see the park restored once work is complete.

“I think it would still be a nice little shady overlook on the Alabama River,” Bjelke said.

Bjelke’s said he is unsure how the city might pay for the work, but said it may be cheap enough to be paid for through Bjelke’s personal finances.

Bienville isn’t the only ongoing repair project in downtown Selma. Hogg is also beginning to take bids for a storm drain cave in near the intersection of Alabama Avenue and Lauderdale Street.

The second cave in project is estimated to cost less than $50,000. As such, the process won’t be required to follow state bidding laws. Though, the city will solicit bids from multiple companies.

“It’s been the city’s policy to still seek multiple bids even when the price doesn’t exceed $50,000,” Hogg said.

The cave in at Lauderdale Street and Alabama Avenue will require the winning bid to install a junction box, or manhole, immediately at the cave-in’s locations and replace piping within thirty feet in both directions, according to Hogg.

Hogg said he plans to present bids to the city council on the Lauderdale cave-in within a month.