"There's just no other way to describe it," Jared Castle, Department of Transportation spokesman for southwest Oregon, said to NBC News.

What's worse is the sinkholes have probably linked up, making one large hole in the highway that exceeds 60 feet in depth.

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Remarkably, no one has been injured or evacuated, and rerouting drivers only delays their commutes by 5-10 minutes.

The holes were created by large amounts of rain, which is common in the area.

Another reason for the sinkholes is geography.

"It's a road built in a place where Mother Nature never intended for there to be a road," Castle said.

The Oregon DOT hopes to have the road reopen the damaged stretch of highway in March.

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Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
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