A yawning sinkhole at East 40th Street and North Kenwood Avenue on Indianapolis' near-north side has turned one resident into an on-the-spot traffic director, as she spent hours guiding cars around the growing hazard. Barricades and cones were set up around the sinkhole, but neighbors say some of those protections were knocked down, leaving drivers uncomfortably close to the crumbling edge. Utility crews arrived to assess the damage and started planning a temporary fix while they line up a permanent repair.
According to WTHR, the neighbor told reporters the sinkhole "just keeps getting bigger" and said she has been stopping cars and steering drivers around the opening. WTHR also reported that two traffic cones placed beside the hole were later knocked down, making the situation even riskier for motorists coming through after dark.
Crews secure site, use temporary plate
Utility crews moved quickly to stabilize the intersection and protect the roadway. Putting a metal plate over a sinkhole is a standard short-term move while contractors prepare a full repair, and in a similar case earlier this spring, WRTV noted that crews often set a plate, then bring in a vendor partner to fix damaged sewer lines. Citizens Energy Group lists 317-924-3311 as the number to call for urgent water or sewer problems.
Neighbors and the bigger picture
Officials told WTHR that the hole is tied to wastewater infrastructure and that crews plan to cover it with a metal plate until full repairs are finished. The incident comes on the heels of other recent sinkholes across the city, including a Broad Ripple collapse at 65th and Cornell that officials connected to a failed sewer line, underscoring repeated weak spots in aging underground systems, as reported in coverage of the Broad Ripple sinkhole. Neighbors in the 40th and Kenwood area say they will keep warning drivers and helping direct traffic until the street is fully repaired and clearly barricaded.
For now, drivers are urged to avoid the blocked stretch and follow temporary detours while crews are on site. To report similar problems, residents can submit requests through the Mayor's Action Center via RequestIndy, and the utility asks customers to call Citizens Energy Group at 317-924-3311, per WRTV.
