Sink Hole

[Fruit Cove]

Sink hole near Shands Bridge causing problems

By DAVID BAUERLEIN

The Times-Union

Motorists will face some delays crossing the Shands Bridge, which connects Clay and St. Johns counties near Green Cove Springs, because storm-related erosion left a 5-foot deep hole in one lane where the road approaches the bridge.

The pounding waves churned up earlier this week by Hurricane Jeanne ate away dirt and limerock that form the base for the road that leads up to the bridge on the St. Johns County side of the river. The hole is not on the bridge structure over the St. Johns River.

The hole is about 7 feet to 8 feet wide and about 5 feet deep, said Gina Busscher, spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.

The Transportation Department shut down one lane of the two-lane bridge. Flagmen are directing drivers to maintain two-way traffic on the bridge but drivers can expect some delays while awaiting the go-ahead to cross.

The department will use fast-drying concrete to fill in the hole and then cover it with a fresh layer of asphalt. The plan is to reopen both lanes of the bridge later today in the evening, Busscher said.

[Fruit Cove]

[Urban_Legend]

That's crazy! I haven't heard of any sinkholes in northeast Florida. Are they uncommon?

[Brickell]

Being on the water like that, it doesn't appear to be a traditional sink hole. I'm not sure if sink holes are common in Jax but it wouldn't suprise me. Anyway, something like this usually happens because of the waters washing away the berm underneath the road. There were a lot of these in pensacola after Ivan. I wonder if this is also hurricane related.

[wolfdawg54]

It is not as bad as it sounds thank goodness because it did not affect the bridge. It only happened to the road and they really aren't that common in Florida.

[Brickell]

Sinkholes are actually very common throughout the central and northern sections of Florida.

[Fruit Cove]

it is hurricane/storm related.