Sinkhole closed down Kellenberger Road

CHILLICOTHE – The Ross County Engineer’s Office worked Tuesday to fix a sizable sinkhole on Kellenberger Road that had to be filled in order to get the road reopened to traffic during the afternoon.

The sinkhole, located just east of Ohio 104, was reported to county officials Monday night and resulted in the closure of the portion of the road around the hole until the problem could be evaluated and the fix determined.

County Engineer Charles Ortman said that in order to get a complete look at the problem and what would have to be done to repair it, the hole had to be opened to a size of about five feet by six feet wide. It ended up being about seven feet deep.

Those working on the project were able to confirm what an area farmer had suggested Monday night was the cause of the problem.

"It was an old drainage structure that was very deep underneath the old road bed," Ortman said. "I would say the abnormal amount of rain (this summer) seeped into there causing a void to open up and draw down the backfill on the embankment."

Ortman said once the problem was evaluated, it was determined that crews could use a "flowable fill" from a concrete company that is poured into the hole.

"It is very liquid when it first comes out and it eventually sets up," Ortman said. "We vibrate that down into the voids and seal them up."