UPDATE: The Town of Chapel Hill issued an alert at 3:40 p.m. on Monday saying East Franklin Street had been repaired from the sinkhole and any resulting damage. The road has since been reopened to traffic.

A sinkhole in downtown Chapel Hill is causing parts of a critical road to be closed and some traffic to be detoured on Monday morning.

An alert from the Town of Chapel Hill at 10:09 a.m. warned road users traveling west on East Franklin Street about a sinkhole that developed on the road in front of Pickard Lane, which borders the northeast edge of UNC’s campus. The hole is not quite the size of a manhole, with several cracks in the asphalt spreading out from the opening. As a result, the two westbound lanes of East Franklin are closed between Hillsborough and Henderson as crews arrive to survey the damage.

Because of the closure, traffic in Chapel Hill was backed up more than normal along East Franklin Street, Hillsborough Street, Raleigh Street, and East Rosemary Street. The town government urged people traveling westbound along East Franklin Street to follow any posted detours.

Photo by Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Photo by Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Featured photo by Henry Taylor/Chapel Hill Media Group.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
Construction on Fordham Boulevard for Glen Lennox Access to Begin Soon
Contractors working on the redevelopment of Glen Lennox apartments will soon be working along Fordham Boulevard to improve access into the complex. According to a release published by the Town of Chapel Hill on Tuesday, motorists will see an increase in work along Highway 15-501 near Glen Lennox beginning early in February, as contractors remove […]
Road Work Underway on Fordham Boulevard for Glen Lennox Apartments
Road work is underway at the Glen Lennox Redevelopment Project and contractors will be working along U.S. Highway 15-501 in the coming days. The work along Fordham Boulevard is expected to last a couple of days, according to a release from the Town of Chapel Hill. Work will include the removal of trees at the […]
Lane Closures, Reduction Expected Along Fordham Boulevard in Chapel Hill
Motorists using U.S. 15-501 and Fordham Boulevard in Chapel Hill will begin to see some lane closures for the next few mornings.
UPDATE: Man Reported Missing to Chapel Hill Police Found After Short Search
UPDATE: An OC Alerts message shared at 8:51 p.m. said Amit Desai was safely located. The Chapel Hill Police Department is asking for the community’s assistance in locating a missing person. Police officers say 51-year-old Amit Desai was last seen around 4 p.m. Wednesday at the Circle K gas station at the intersection of East […]
Chapel Hill’s Weavers Grove Welcomes First Residents, Offering a Vision of Inclusive Homeownership
Weavers Grove, the long-anticipated mixed-income community spearheaded by Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, is officially coming to life in Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill Passes Amendments to LUMO, Plans to Expand Missing Middle Housing in Town
Chapel Hill recently passed amendments to its Land Use Management Ordinance that could make it easier to expand housing options in town.
Orange County Communities to Observe Martin Luther King Day Jan. 19. Here's How it Affects Services.
The observation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19 will affect local government services around the Orange County community. Here’s what residents can expect this year: Town of Chapel Hill Most town offices will be closed Monday. Residential trash normally collected Monday will be collected Wednesday, Jan. 21. Curbside recycling collection will […]
NCDOT Installing Pedestrian Infrastructure at 3 N.C. Highway 54 Intersections
The North Carolina Department of Transportation will partner with the towns of Chapel Hill and Carrboro to install pedestrian and bicyclist improvements at three intersections along North Carolina Highway 54. NCDOT will begin work Monday, Feb. 2 to install crosswalks with traffic signals at the highway’s intersections with: The Kingswood Apartments complex in Chapel Hill […]
Town of Chapel Hill Debuts New Logo, Website Design
The Town of Chapel Hill has debuted a new logo and town website, chapelhillnc.gov, amid a branding overhaul. The new logo depicts a stylized tulip poplar on rolling hills. “With this new website, we’ve created a more user-friendly experience for all who visit our site,” said Susan Brown, the town’s Director of Strategic Communications and […]
East Franklin Street Reopens After Repair of Small Sinkhole, Traffic Detours
The Town of Chapel Hill issued an alert at 3:40 p.m. on Monday saying East Franklin Street had been repaired from the sinkhole and any resulting damage.
›