Sinkhole growing rapidly in Auckland CBD - contractors on site

NZ Herald

24 Jul, 2023 10:50 PM2 mins to read

A contractor at the sinkhole this morning. Photo / Herald

Contractors are at the site of a sinkhole in central Auckland this morning, which has swallowed pieces of the road that is closed outside the central police station.

Auckland Transport has closed a section of College Hill between New and Scotland Sts and warning motorists to expect delays.

College Hill is a busy arterial road into the city from the inner west suburbs of Ponsonby and Herne Bay and a route to the Northern Motorway.

COLLEGE HILL, FREEMANS BAY - 5:40PM
Due to emergency maintenance works, a section of College Hill is closed between New St and Scotland St. Pass with care and expect delays for all traffic, including bus services, through this area until cleared. pic.twitter.com/C1bh283cqs
— Auckland Transport Travel Alerts (@AT_TravelAlerts) July 24, 2023

An AT spokesperson said Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters division has sent a contractor to the site this morning. The site is not far away from a sinkhole that appeared at the bottom of College Hill after the January 27 floods.

The sinkhole is worrying social media users as it grows rapidly.

A user who posted a video of the sinkhole to Twitter tagged Auckland Transport, seemingly alerting them to the hole at 3.30pm yesterday

@AklTransport hey, uhhh, FYI there’s a sinkhole forming on College Hill right now pic.twitter.com/ExrKosHXTl
— You (@planet_enjoyer) July 24, 2023

The sinkhole is positioned on College Hill, 20m down from the Auckland police headquarters.

College Hill has now been closed, a police spokesperson confirmed, and Auckland Council has taken over the scene. Motorists are advised to use an alternative route.

It is believed the issue with the road began during the Auckland Anniversary floods at the beginning of this year.

Photos taken by the Herald just two weeks ago show the hole had already begun to form. However, it was previously covered by sheets of metal.