Staring at the 20-foot-deep, 25-foot-wide gash, residents are suprised that no one was hurt, considering the road collapsed at 4 a.m., when it was pitch black.

"Thank goodness for that, yes," said Independent Hill resident Adele Clearwater.  "Because so many cars travel this road. I'm surprised nobody there was caught in it."

VDOT crews are waiting for the road to dry out. They will first remove the hunks of asphalt from the hole, then they'll try and figure out what caused the road to fail.

About 26,000 cars travel Dale Boulevard everyday as a commonly used commuter route, according to VDOT, making it a critical route.

VDOT posted detour signs forcing westbound drivers to use Ridgefield Road to Prince William Parkway to Hoadly Road and back onto Dale Boulevard. Drivers heading east on Dale need to use Hoadly Road to Prince William Parkway to Ridgefield Road and back to Dale.

People who live in the area will be able to get to their homes, but they are concerned about all the traffic taking unofficial detours through their neighborhood.

"This is a major inconvenience," said Dale City resident Bill Turner. "Everyone's coming through our neighborhoods. I saw this long caravan of cars, yesterday. I thought it was a funeral or something. I got out here... And saw there was a funeral of sort... The road had been buried."


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