WINTER HAVEN, Fla. -- Initial fears of a massive sinkhole in southeast Winter Haven have been alleviated after engineers determined that a tunnel, not a sinkhole, formed beneath Intermodal Drive late Thursday, leading to an ongoing road closure. The tunnel was created by a siphoning effect between two nearby retention ponds.
Early radio reports from emergency crews arriving on the scene described a situation that appeared to be a large sinkhole near a construction site. These initial, on-the-spot observations were made as responders worked quickly to coordinate and ensure safety.
However, as the situation unfolded and additional personnel arrived, it became clear that the affected area was a retention pond under construction.
The actual cause of the road closure is a flow of water connecting two separate retention ponds. An existing pond is located across Intermodal Drive from the new construction.
As excavation work for the new pond progressed, a siphoning effect developed, causing water from the existing pond to flow underground toward the newer one. This process created a tunnel-like cavity beneath the roadway.
Intermodal Drive, a key route heavily utilized by semi-trucks carrying full loads, was immediately closed out of an abundance of caution due to the underground cavity.
According to a statement from the City of Winter Haven, the roadway itself is currently intact. However, the underground cavity must be thoroughly evaluated and stabilized before the road can be safely reopened to heavy traffic.
The entire site -- including the construction area, the roadway, and the stormwater infrastructure -- is privately owned. The property owner's construction team and geotechnical engineers are currently on site. They are assessing the damage and determining the safest and most effective method to fill and stabilize the compromised area.
City of Winter Haven staff are present to provide support as needed. The Winter Haven Police Department is maintaining the road closure overnight to ensure public safety as the assessment and repair work continues.