Sinkhole Closes Road in Innisbrook

A road leading to the in the is partially closed after a large hole formed sometime Thursday night.

Detour signs now block a stretch of Innisbrook Drive, which runs through the Innisbrook Resort property and connects U.S. 19 and Belcher Rd. 

ParkCrest apartments manager, Barbara Bayless says a crew is trying to figure out what caused the hole to form. She says she learned about the problem Friday morning and does not know when it will be repaired.

A spokesperson for the Pinellas County Utilities Department says Innisbrook is responsible for repairing the hole because it is on private property.

The barricaded road attracted onlookers who were curious about the large hole which appears to be about four to five feet wide.

ParkCrest residents, Shawnna and Alex Capozzella say they knew something was up when they saw the flashing lights from deputy cruisers outside their apartment window around midnight.

Friday, the couple went outside and realized the hole was the cause of all the flashing lights.

Alex says he's concerned about safety and the possibility of other holes, "I'm interested to see if they're going to check the rest of the neighborhood to see if they're going to have any more issues." 

The road is often used as a shortcut by drivers who want to get to Belcher from US 19. Shawnna thinks there's a benefit to the road closure.

"It's kinda good, it'll divert traffic for a while," she said.