Series of sinkholes open in Jefferson City
Three sinkholes open across Jefferson City; one swallows parked car
A series of sinkholes opened across Jefferson City the weekend of Aug. 15–16, 2020, damaging private property and forcing a temporary traffic closure on U.S. Highway 11E. Jefferson City Police Chief Andy Dossett confirmed three separate sinkhole collapses — two on private property and one that affected the westbound lane of U.S. 11E.
One sinkhole opened in the parking lot behind the Gondolier restaurant, where an employee’s car sank several feet into the ground. Thankfully nobody was inside the vehicle and no injuries were reported.
The second sinkhole affected the westbound lane of U.S. Highway 11E near Pals. Mark Nagi, spokesman for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), said crews were on site repairing the roadway and had closed the westbound lanes due to the hole extending from the shoulder into the travel lane. Westbound traffic was temporarily diverted onto Chuckey Pike while repairs were under way.
The third collapse occurred on private property west of In/Out Donuts near U.S. Highway 11E. No injuries or structural damage were reported at that site.
What happened
- Three sinkholes formed across Jefferson City during the weekend.
- Locations: Gondolier restaurant parking lot (car fell in), westbound U.S. 11E near Pals (roadway damage), and west of In/Out Donuts (private property).
- TDOT responded to and repaired the roadway sinkhole; westbound lanes were temporarily closed and traffic rerouted.
- No injuries were reported.
Safety and next steps
Authorities advise the public to avoid areas showing ground subsidence, report new sinkholes to local officials, and follow posted detours until structural and geotechnical assessments are completed. TDOT typically secures the scene, performs repairs and may conduct geotechnical drilling or borings to evaluate subsurface conditions before reopening lanes fully.
Report by Cliff Hightower, Tribune assistant editor. Source: Citizen Tribune.
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