On January 12, a sinkhole approximately thirty by fifteen feet wide and fifteen to twenty feet deep appeared along the 700 block of East Cleveland Street. The collapse was confined to the street and no injuries were reported. Xcel Energy investigated the area and confirmed no gas leaks were present. Through traffic is currently prohibited along Cleveland Street from Foote Avenue on the west to Brown Court on the east until all work is completed.
The Colorado State Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety will be contracting the removal of water and debris from the subsidence as well as the filling of the sinkhole. Work is anticipated to start on Wednesday, January 14. Once complete, the affected site will be barricaded and one-way traffic allowed through. Over the next two to three months DRMS will be conducting tests to ensure the safety and stability of the affected area. Once this work is complete, the road will be fully reopened to two-way traffic.
The area of collapse along Cleveland Street is believed to be the entrance to the old Simpson Coal Mine which operated from 1888-1926. Typically this type of subsidence is caused by the collapse of underground mine tunnels or shafts. Over time, layers of rock and earth naturally tend to sink or shift to fill voids.