sinkhole Longmont
© Joshua Buck/Times-CallWeld County Sheriff Deputy Chad Walser talks with Longmont Emergency Unit crews and a firefighter from Mountain View Fire Rescue about closing Weld County Road 20 1/2 at Weld County Road 1 as a sinkhole grows Wednesday evening.
A 4-foot wide sinkhole in the roadway has forced emergency crews to close Weld County Road 20 1/2 between county roads 7 and 1.

A broken culvert has exposed a 15-foot by 15-foot cavern under the roadway and it is growing, officials on scene said as water gushed below. A Weld County Public Works crew left to pick up barricades in Johnstown and would return later this evening, Deputy Chad Walser said.

It was not known how long the road would be closed, but emergency crews on scene said they thought at least a week, as most of the area would have to be dug up.

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