Sinkhole Leads To Traffic Gridlock As Austin Police Block Street For Repair [UPDATED]

EAST AUSTIN, TX — A sink hole at eastbound Texas 71 near U.S. 183 has led to traffic snarls as crews work to repair the road, officials said.

Texas Department of Transportation officials issued a map of the area, showing traffic to be gridlocked as crews repair the damage, the Austin American-Statesman reported. An Austin Police Department spokesperson said the affected area is along south highway 183 to the Ben White Boulevard ramp.

The spokesperson said they got a report about the sinkhole at 9:33 a.m.

"Our motors units assisted with securing the scene until the barricades were delivered," the police spokesperson told Patch via email. "It is my understanding that TXDot is responsible for any repairs to the road."

The sink hole work had affected eastbound traffic from Montopolis Drive to U.S. 183 not far from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, the Statesman noted. Eventually, by early afternoon, police had left the scen after the scene had been cleared, the police spokeperson told Patch.

Although the sink hole was categorized as a small one, such road defects can often lead to catastrophic circumstances as they expand. Earlier this month in San Antonio, a sheriff's deputy was killed when her car was swallowed by a huge sink hole that developed in that city after previous heavy rains.

Officials have not provided a timeline as to when the road would be fixed and fully opened to traffic. Patch has reached out to police for an update, and will provide more details if they become available.

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