A large sinkhole along M-20 will be under repair for the foreseeable future near Remus.

On Thursday, Mar. 12, multiple calls were reportedly made to Isabella County Dispatch around 2:15 a.m. Upon arrival, police officers found a sinkhole spanning almost the entire width of the roadway. The hole formed due to the collapse of a culvert over Pony Creek.

"We are taking steps to get the road open as soon as possible and are looking into options such as a temporary pipe placement," said MDOT Communications Representative Caitlyn French.

According to a recent update Monday afternoon by Rep. Tom Kunse, MDOT will be replacing the culvert with four 78-inch concrete pipes this week.

"The goal is to have M-20 by Friday night," Kunse said on Facebook.

M-20 between Costabella Avenue and Rolland Road will remain closed during construction. Detours will remain in place for vehicles and trucks during this time. A map of these detours can be found below.

 

^{A map of the construction detour routes for cars and trucks (courtesy of Sen. Hauck).}

One pickup truck was reportedly damaged due after hitting the sinkhole. The culvert, which was constructed in 1970, caved in and created a washout. This was likely caused by too much water due to heavy rainfall and early spring freeze-thaw cycles.

State Senator Roger Hauck and State Representative Tom Kunse recently posted updates on the situation, including their intent to work with MDOT to get the road back open.

"M-20 is an important artery for our region," State Representative Tom Kunse said. "(Sen. Hauck) and I have shared with MDOT how critical it is for residents, businesses, and emergency services. Their team is working on next steps and (we) will continue staying in contact with them and sharing updates as we learn more."

_{Photos courtesy Sen. Roger Hauck.} 

_{Story updated on 2:14 p.m. Monday, Mar. 16, with a timeline update from Rep. Kunse & MDOT.}