UPDATE 8/18/23 4:48 p.m.: Three of four westbound US-60 lanes are open to traffic. Crews are still working on repairs to the highway.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – All lanes on westbound US-60, West of US-65, near the Glenstone exit are closed due to a small sinkhole.

“We knew that we needed to shut the lanes down because there was nothing holding the concrete up,” said Laurel McKean, the assistant district engineer with MoDOT.

According to MoDOT, the sinkhole opened on the shoulder near the right lane of traffic on US-60 (James River Freeway). They estimate it’s 36 by 15 feet wide.

“When we have a void like this, it means water is penetrating and making the material go somewhere else,” McKean said. “So that’s what we have to figure out is, is there a sinkhole that is going into or something else going on?”

Drivers are urged to consider alternate routes.

“I would definitely encourage Chesnut, Sunshine, Battlefield,” McKean said. “Battlefield is the one that everyone’s taking right now.”

MoDOT crews are currently making repairs and have not reported when all four lanes will open up again yet.

Randa Hugg lives in West Plains but drove to Springfield on Friday.

“Honestly, we’re not sure how, because that’s always the exit we take to go back to West Plains, I’m not sure how we’re going to get out of here, but we’ll figure it out,” Hugg said. “That’s what GPS is for right?”

She says there are ways fellow drivers can be mindful during the closures.

“Go slow, have manners,” Hugg said. “Let people cut in and just pay attention.”