A sinkhole “the size of a compact car” on Route 2 near Newark caused significant backups as county and state officials were working to mitigate it, the Delaware Department of Transportation said Thursday afternoon.
C.R. McLeod, spokesman for DelDOT, said it’s not entirely clear what caused the sinkhole, which is in the left lane of Route 2 east, near Melrose Place. Initially, it was thought to be caused by a New Castle County water pipe under the road, but county officials have since said the sewer line is not to blame.
McLeod said transportation workers would open the hole Friday morning to hopefully determine what caused it.
“It’s not just happening out of the blue,” he added.
As a result of the sinkhole, which is about 15 feet long and 5 feet wide, the left lane and left-turn lanes were closed. Traffic was getting by slowly in the right lane.
Route 2 west was also moving slowly as passersby ogled at the sinkhole.
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McLeod said employees from New Castle County’s Public Works Department were on the scene, but road closures would extend until Friday. The sinkhole was first reported around 3 p.m. Thursday.
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