Follow-up: Sinkhole Blocks SW Ohio Path

MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — A gigantic 30-feet-wide, 15-foot-deep sinkhole is blocking part of a bike path in Butler County.
Middletown officials discovered the hole on Monday, and believe heavy rainfall contributed to its formation.

The Middletown City Council has passed emergency legislation to fix the hole, reported ONN's Lot Tan.

While out for his daily walk, Tony Barnett saw the gigantic sinkhole before orange warning barrels were in place.

"It's dangerous, I'm glad they took action to fix it," Barnett said.

Officials said the area was underwater on Sunday, and the sinkhole was discovered once the river receded.

"It's probably 60 years old now and it's not unheard of something that age to corrode over time and collapse, especially with the river and all the rain we had," said Scott Tadych, Assistant Butler County Engineer.

It will cost $265,000 to fix. That price tag is too high for some.

"That's way over what it should cost to fix it," said resident and biker Thomas Pence.

The price isn't overboard according to local engineers because the sanitary sewer pipe below the path is 1,000 feet long.

"The 8 to 9-square-mile cost of setting up and bypassing pumping is significant," Tadych said.

Construction will begin Monday and take about three weeks to finish. Local homeowners should not be affected by the work.

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