Sinkhole closes Old Willard Road in northwest Springfield

(KY3)
Published: Jun. 20, 2019 at 10:50 PM CDT
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A northwest Springfield road will be closed for at least another two weeks after a sinkhole opened up underneath the road.

Only about a half mile stretch of Old Willard Road near Kearney is closed due to the sinkhole, but some truck drivers have to go up to ten minutes out of the way to get around it.

Many people saw the road closed signs on the way to work on June 10.

"Everybody thought 'Oh water is over the road', but it developed into a sinkhole." said Marilyn Roper, the owner of Land Air Express.

Her business is the closest to the sinkhole. When she saw the road closed signs, she went to investigate.

"There were actually people down there that explained to us that it was about a fifteen foot sinkhole."

The city of Springfield says the sinkhole extended underneath the road.

"It was kind of scary, yeah. I am just glad that none of my vehicles or anyone was hurt." Roper added.

With Old Willard Road closed, Roper's truck drivers are having tough times getting to the business, even though the detour route is just on the other side.

"Trying to get in and out of the business because they have to make such a large turn. And to turn onto Westgate is very difficult to do whichever way that you go," Roper explained. "I have a tractor trailer that you have to detour up to commerce to the airport."

Which adds 10 minutes to their route.

"Ten minutes in our business is very crucial." Roper added.

The closed road has also caused a traffic jam for the many industrial businesses on that part of town.

"It looks like the south side of Springfield, bumper to bumper with cars and people getting off work." Roper explained, showing reporter Braden Berg. "I am surprised there aren't more accidents. That intersection there is a lot of traffic, you have got your Greenway walking trail too."

Roper also owns 26 acres of land next to her business, where the sinkhole was found. She thinks there may be more.

"I have enough Geological studies to know that the sinkholes are there, so it is an issue but sinkholes are an issue all over Springfield." she added.

The sinkhole is filled with rock now and the city of Springfield hopes to fill it with concrete reinforcing and have Old Willard Road back open by July 8.