Sinkhole in Manitou Springs grows, prompts road closure

The main thoroughfare through Manitou Springs will be closed for an indefinite period of time because of culvert damage and a sinkhole.

Manitou Avenue was closed at Ruxton Avenue Monday until further notice, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.

The sinkhole doesn’t look like much from above, but it’s 12 feet deep. The hole has also grown since it was first blocked off Monday.

“The flooding in Manitou it has compromised a lot of structures in Manitou,” said Mark Andrews with the Colorado Department of Transportation.

CDOT workers were out assessing the damage Tuesday afternoon since Highway 24 is a state route.

“We don’t know how long it can take to fix, depending on what the repair is,” Andrews said. “If it’s a complete replacement, then it can take much longer.”

Last week’s heavy rains caused erosion on the culvert underneath Hwy 24 and Ruxton Avenue.

“The extensive damage is the length of the culvert its about 30-40 feet long in terms of what we see in terms of the damage. The recent storms have undermined one of the walls of that culvert,” explained Andrews.

He said the culverts are inspected routinely since the original infrastructure of that road is about 100 years old.

Ruxton Avenue will remain closed on both ends since CDOT doesn’t want cars more so trucks to go over the sinkhole.

Tourists heading west won’t see much change in Manitou Springs but drivers should expect a detour if heading further west than Ruxton.

The culvert repairs will need to be funded by the state since the area doesn’t yet qualify for FEMA relief.