Water Main Leak Causes Sinkhole on Southwest Trafficway in Midtown

Southbound Middle Lanes: Closed for repairs.
Southbound Right Lanes: Closed for repairs.
Southbound Left Lane: Open to traffic.

Commuters in Midtown faced significant delays Thursday morning after a water main leak triggered a sinkhole on Southwest Trafficway.

The incident occurred in the southbound lanes of the roadway near 37th Street, forcing immediate lane closures to accommodate emergency repairs. KCTV5 reported that the middle and right lanes of southbound Southwest Trafficway are currently closed while crews work to stabilize the area.

This is the second time a sinkhole has appeared on this specific thoroughfare within a few months. The new opening is located approximately six blocks south of a separate sinkhole that shut down the road for several days in August.

City officials have not yet determined how long the current repair process will take. For now, the city is asking drivers to avoid the area entirely until the street can safely reopen to all lanes. Only the left lane remains open to traffic through the construction zone.

The proximity of this collapse to the August incident on Southwest Trafficway suggests the utility infrastructure in the Midtown corridor is unstable.

Water Main Leak Causes Sinkhole on Southwest Trafficway in Midtown

While the city’s water crews are actively working to repair the line and the sinkhole, the repeated nature of these disruptions highlights the localized impact on residents and businesses near Southwest Trafficway and 37th Street.

The repair efforts are focused on the southbound side of the roadway. As of Thursday morning, the following conditions exist for motorists: