Sinkholes are affecting more than just roads

Sinkhole trouble spots are numerous in Colorado Springs, and one of them is on Chestnut Drive on the west side of the city.

But it’s not just the road that is affected by the hole. So is one of the city’s most popular trails.

Melinda Rodriguez is one of the many visitors to those trails. Today she’s bike shopping.

“I’m looking for the perfect bike for me, which is why I’m test driving this (bike),” she said.

On the Sinton Trail, she has a lot of company.

“This is my second time on the Sinton Trail and I’m going to see how far I can gfet to the Camp Creek closure,” said Gary Bostrom.

The trail is about 3 miles long. But where it crosses Chestnut Drive, there is construction.

Thanks to a sinkhole that opened last Monday.

The hole quickly closed the road, but the problem now is not how quickly it opened up, but how long it will take to close.

Aaron Egbert, an engineer with the city of Colorado Springs, said, “We do have a construction crew in there right now that has been getting the water to drain controlling the flow, and also they’re laying some of the slopes back to make it a little more safe for the workers.”

Sinton Trail and Chestnut Drive are popular ways to get around the near west side, and crews say they’re working as fast as they can to make repairs.

But it will take time.

“Stabilizing the area will potentially take a few weeks,” Egbert said.

City engineers don’t expect the sinkhole to damage the trail and they’re hoping to get full access to it restored quickly.

Egbert said that the bridge over South Douglas Creek was scheduled to be replaced in 2019.

But with the washout, the city received emergency funding from the Pikes Peak Rural Transit Authority.