Hurricane Sandy causes East Chop bluff to slump. — Jeanna Shepard

The Oak Bluffs highway department has closed the ocean side lane of East Chop Drive from Brewster avenue to Munroe avenue due to slumping caused by Hurricane Sandy.

“There was slumping in two spots and we had a recommendation from the engineering firm CLE Engineering from a site visit yesterday who looked at it and recommended closing the ocean side lane,” highway superintendent Richard Combra, Jr. said Friday morning.

The highway department is working on a short term and long term solution, Mr. Combra said, and engineers are working on an immediate plan to stabilize the slumping areas on the bluff.