Small sinkhole closes SW 24th Avenue in Gainesville; detours, reopening and related rescue
Quick Outline
- Incident: A minor sinkhole opened along Southwest 24th Avenue between SW 91st Street and SW 87th Way, prompting an emergency road closure and detours.
- Immediate response: Alachua County Public Works closed the roadway to through traffic, posted detours and barricades, and advised drivers to expect delays.
- Reopening: The county later reopened SW 24th Avenue to vehicular traffic while the sidewalk south of the road remained closed with a pedestrian detour in place.
- Related event: A separate sinkhole incident in Alachua County involved a 40 foot drop where firefighters conducted an animal rescue and transported a dog to the UF Small Animal Hospital.
- Community context: Residents and local media noted prior infrastructure work in the area and raised concerns about limerock and underlying karst features.
Incident overview
On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the Alachua County Public Works Department discovered a minor sinkhole that opened along Southwest 24th Avenue in Gainesville, closing the stretch between SW 91st Street and SW 87th Way to through traffic. Traffic cones and barricades were placed at the roundabout near SW 88th Street and detour signage directed motorists to use SW 91st Street and SW 87th Way. Photos published by local reporters showed a small yet visible collapse in the driving lane, a disturbance that is routine in this region but nonetheless disruptive when it occurs on a primary connector.
The closure was framed as precautionary, with county crews acting to mitigate risk, to limit further deterioration, and to assess whether the sinkhole was an isolated event or the surface expression of a larger subsurface problem. Officials advised motorists to follow posted detour routes and to travel the area with caution. Media coverage emphasized the public works response and provided logistical details so drivers could plan alternate routes during the repair work. The Alachua Chronicle republished the county press release verbatim to ensure residents received consistent instructions about the detour routing and the one-way limitation for Shannon Woods subdivision residents exiting via SW 88th Street.
Source: WUFT report, Alachua Chronicle
Local response, detours and community impact
The response combined immediate traffic control with a modest public-information campaign. County personnel installed barricades and detour signage that rerouted east and west bound traffic along SW 87th Way and SW 91st Street. Local messaging underscored safety: maintain speed appropriate for detour conditions and keep a safe following distance. That guidance matters in neighborhoods where a single closure reshuffles morning and evening commutes and where a one-way limitation for some residential exits—Shannon Woods subdivision residents using SW 88th Street—can add minutes to already constrained travel times.
Beyond inconvenience, the event surfaced questions about nearby construction and subsurface conditions. Commenters and local observers linked previous infrastructure projects, including utilities and commercial developments, to changes in subsurface stress. In communities built atop limestone and karst, small disturbances can cascade into larger instability if untreated. County public works staff framed the closure as an opportunity to inspect the roadway and to shore up failing material, while reminding residents that pedestrian access would remain limited until the sidewalk south of SW 24th Avenue could be declared safe. Pedestrians were directed to follow the posted sidewalk detour, which preserves access but shifts foot traffic through alternate right of way.
Source: Alachua Chronicle, WUFT report
Reopening and follow up
County communications later confirmed that SW 24th Avenue was reopened to vehicular traffic. The reopening notice emphasized that roadway repairs had progressed sufficiently to allow vehicles to pass, while the sidewalk south of the road remained closed. Pedestrian safety measures and a dedicated detour for foot traffic were kept in place until crews could complete a more permanent repair and verify long term sidewalk integrity.
The timeline from emergency closure to reopening was relatively short, suggesting that the sinkhole was shallow and localized. The county provided a contact for construction inspection superintendent Aaron Burke, signaling a channel for residents who require more detail. Short closures that are quickly stabilized reduce disruption and limit the potential for secondary incidents, but the episode highlights the recurring nature of sinkhole events in areas with susceptible geology. The reopening notice asked residents to remain alert to any new surface depressions and to report changes to county public works, because an early report can prevent escalation.
Source: Alachua County reopening notice
Related incident: 40 foot sinkhole and animal rescue
Later in the month, Alachua County Fire Rescue crews executed a dramatic animal rescue after a dog fell into a sinkhole estimated at 40 feet deep. Responders on scene observed the animal moving at the bottom of the cavity and carried out a coordinated operation to recover the dog safely. The animal was later transported to the UF Small Animal Hospital by its owners. The rescue underscores the variability of sinkhole size and consequence that local agencies confront. Where the SW 24th Avenue event was a minor collapse, the 40 foot sinkhole illustrates the spectrum of risk that responders must prepare for, from traffic interruptions to search and rescue operations for trapped people or animals.
These incidents together suggest that local agencies need flexible response plans, and that community awareness remains a first line of defense. Reporting by local television captured the rescue and the gratitude expressed by officials, and that coverage complements the public works updates by illustrating the operational demands placed on emergency services when subterranean failures occur.
Source: WCJB report
Context and what to watch next
Gainesville sits in a part of Florida where karst limestone and limerock beds are common. Those conditions make sinkholes a recurring civic concern. In the short term, residents should heed official detours, observe posted pedestrian restrictions, and report fresh subsidence to county authorities. In the medium term, infrastructure planning needs to integrate sinkhole risk more explicitly, especially where new construction or utility work disturbs load bearing materials.
For readers, the takeaway is practical: small sinkholes often lead to outsized disruption, and the competence of a local response will determine whether an event remains an operational nuisance or becomes an emergency that endangers people or property. The county contact listed in the reopening notice provides a direct line for follow up. Local reporting will be the best source for updates as inspectors complete repair work and monitor the site.
Primary sources: WUFT, Alachua Chronicle, Alachua County, WCJB
- Kentucky Sinkhole News Brief – December 2025 - January 24, 2026
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- Florida Sinkhole News Brief – December 2025 - January 24, 2026
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