CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Lanes of Randolph Road will remain closed through Friday afternoon while crews work to repair a broken water pipe that caused a sinkhole.
The sinkhole formed Tuesday afternoon in the 1900 block of Randolph Road near Presbyterian Hospital.
Around 11 a.m. Wednesday, workers finally found the leaking water pipe under the road. They say that's what washed away dirt underneath the pavement, causing a 10-foot deep sinkhole to appear.
Crews had to cut several holes into the road -- some as large as 15 feet long -- to locate the problem. They blocked off the inside lanes and the center turn lane so they could access the pipe.
Crews say they'll be working there at least through Friday afternoon. That means anyone using Randolph Road near Presbyterian Hospital should expect delays through the end of the week.
Business owners say they've had problems with dirty water coming out of their faucets before and they hope this doesn't disrupt their work.
Traffic was definitely disrupted, forcing some people to park their car blocks away and walk to the hospital.
"It took a while to get here because the traffic was so thick," said one woman, walking her daughter to a doctor's appointment.
Von Freeman was also trying to make an appointment and said, "We got hung up on this road. They got to do what they got to do. Whether we like it or not, it's got to be done."
Now that crews have found the problem they still have to repair the leak, replace about 20 feet of pipe, fill the hole and repave the roads. That could take several days if the weather doesn't cooperate.
One lane of traffic is moving in each direction and a spokesperson for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities says they will try to keep it that way. If safety becomes an issue, they may have to close the section of Randolph between Caswell and Colonial.
Drivers should use Third Street/Providence Road or Seventh Street as an alternate.
