Effects of climate change?
As many of you know, Colorado has has record warmth this year (like many other places). Yesterday, a pretty big sinkhole opened up on US Highway 24 high in the mountains between Leadville and Minturn, CO. Kind of speaks to climate change, doesn't it?
Sinkhole on U.S. 24 near Leadville determined to be railroad tunnel
A giant sinkhole that closed a stretch of U.S. 24 north of Leadville Monday has been determined to be a century-old railroad tunnel that collapsed decades ago and was exposed when the soil thawed.
A variety of engineers, maintenance supervisors and geological experts examined the sinkhole and now estimate its depth to be about 100 feet, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation news release. Much of the soil deep in the collapsed tunnel was still frozen until recently; when it thawed, the hole was exposed.
Stacey Stegman, a CDOT spokeswoman, said the sinkhole was along the Denver and Rio Grande Railway over the Tennessee Pass near Leadville.
"It seems that it was constructed as part of the Royal Gorge (Railroad) route in 1880," Stegman said.
Stegman said the line was constructed to help tap into the mining boom around Leadville at the time.
Additional source
Sinkhole on U.S. 24 near Leadville determined to be railroad tunnel
A giant sinkhole that closed a stretch of U.S. 24 north of Leadville Monday has been determined to be a century-old railroad tunnel that collapsed decades ago and was exposed when the soil thawed.
A variety of engineers, maintenance supervisors and geological experts examined the sinkhole and now estimate its depth to be about 100 feet, according to a Colorado Department of Transportation news release. Much of the soil deep in the collapsed tunnel was still frozen until recently; when it thawed, the hole was exposed.
Stacey Stegman, a CDOT spokeswoman, said the sinkhole was along the Denver and Rio Grande Railway over the Tennessee Pass near Leadville.
"It seems that it was constructed as part of the Royal Gorge (Railroad) route in 1880," Stegman said.
Stegman said the line was constructed to help tap into the mining boom around Leadville at the time.
Additional source