Sinkhole repair continues on North Academy Boulevard in Colorado Springs
Abby Smith
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A vehicle crash at North Academy Boulevard and Half Turn Road, which “impacted a fire hydrant,” authorities said Tuesday, has shut down the intersection due to a sinkhole.
As of 5 a.m. on Wednesday, one northbound lane of Academy had reopened to traffic, and all southbound lanes were open.
On Tuesday afternoon, northbound Academy was closed between North Carefree Circle and Austin Bluffs Parkway, while the southbound left lane of Academy was closed at the Half Turn Road intersection.
Police recommend that people avoid the area.
Update: Vehicle crash at Academy/Half turn impacted a fire hydrant and a sinkhole is occurring. Northbound Academy is closed from N Carefree. Southbound Left lane is closed at Half Turn. Westbound Half Turn is closed east of Academy.
— CSPD Communications (@CSPDComCenter) September 2, 2025
Colorado Springs Utilities initially stated that all traffic lanes should reopen and repairs be completed by 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, but it quickly became clear that cleanup and repair would take longer.
Authorities stated that the sinkhole formed after the crash dislodged the hydrant from its base, causing water to gush around an area that already doesn’t have good drainage.
No injuries have been reported.
The repair work — at least through Wednesday morning rush hour — will mean detours for residents of several apartment complexes on the east side of the Academy/Half Turn intersection.
Driving east of that area is already challenging because of a huge drainage project in the Park Vista South neighborhood, where Siferd Boulevard was one of the city’s worst areas for flash flooding during rainstorms.
Drivers also have endured a construction project just north of the sinkhole repair, at the Academy/Meadowland Boulevard intersection; that project, however, should be finished in a few weeks.