Sinkhole closes Monument Street near Johns Hopkins Hospital

Damage to large 1930 storm-drainage culvert likely cause; schedule for repairs unclear

A 10-foot by 2-foot sink hole that is possibly 20-foot deep opened…

In the latest example of Baltimore’s aging infrastructure’s causing damage to city streets, a large sinkhole opened on East Monument Street near Johns Hopkins Hospital on Wednesday afternoon — causing a stretch of the road to be closed and nearby businesses to be evacuated.

The hole, estimated to be about 2 feet wide, 6 feet long and 20 feet deep, closed East Monument about 1 p.m. between North Patterson Park Avenue and North Montford Avenue, while a strong smell of gas forced businesses to close and brought Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. repair crews to the scene.