5 days ago
Sinkhole repair on Lake County's Britt Road moves forward after months of delays
The Brief
A sinkhole from Hurricane Milton has blocked Britt Road since 2023.
A purchase agreement now allows Lake County to assess the damage.
Repairs are still months away, leaving residents in limbo.
MOUNT DORA, Fla. - A massive sinkhole that swallowed part of Britt Road during Hurricane Milton may finally be repaired, after Lake County officials reached a key agreement to begin assessing the damage.
What we know
A sinkhole that opened during Hurricane Milton in 2023 has rendered Britt Road in Lake County impassable for over a year.
The road, located near Mount Dora, remains blocked off, with aerial footage showing a large crater filled with trees and broken asphalt. On May 13, the Lake County Commission approved a purchase agreement to move forward with property acquisition and damage assessment, signaling the start of the long-awaited repair process.
What we don't know
County officials have not confirmed an exact timeline for when construction will begin or how long repairs will take once they start. The total cost of the project and the final decision on whether the board will move forward with the purchase agreement after the due diligence phase remain unresolved. The long-term traffic or development impact on the area is also unclear.
The backstory
The sinkhole formed during Hurricane Milton in 2023, leaving a deep gash in a stretch of Britt Road lined with residential homes and some farmland. Since then, residents have faced long detours and limited access. The county spent months negotiating with a neighboring landowner before finally reaching the current agreement.
Big picture view
The disruption from the sinkhole is more than an inconvenience — it highlights infrastructure vulnerabilities in hurricane-prone areas and the bureaucratic delays that can follow disaster damage. While some residents have adapted, others stress the need for urgent repairs to return to normal life.
Why you should care
The hole, located on a residential stretch of Britt Road near Mount Dora, has been closed off since the 2023 hurricane.
"We were shocked! We didn't realize there was that much water coming through that area," said resident Clint Farrell.
What used to be a two-minute drive for resident Karina Salazar is now 15 minutes each way, she said, describing the daily frustration.
Commissioner Leslie Campione stated, "We gave gt county manager authority to sign if the terms were agreed-upon as presented to us. But, that agreement moved us into the due diligence phase, and once we finish with that, it comes back to the board."
Farrell said he didn't mind that there is less traffic on what was the once busy Britt Road.
"It's great — no traffic. We were hoping they'd just keep it closed, but I guess that's not going to happen."
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The Source
This story was written based on information shared by the Lake County Commission and residents along Britt Road in Mount Dora.
