Cape Coral couple fears nearby drilling could sink home; city investigating road conditions

The Johnson family in Cape Coral is worried their home may collapse as a sinkhole outside their property continues to grow, with city crews investigating the cause. "As you can see, it's getting worse," Jack Johnson, a resident of northwest Cape Coral, said. The issue began when the family discovered their driveway had sunk nearly two feet, and now a two-foot hole has opened up, raising concerns that their house could be affected. "I've already lost my driveway. If it gets in close to the house, we're going to have to go someplace. I don't have that kind of money," Johnson said. The road in front of Johnson's driveway has already dropped more than a foot. He said crews drilled a hole on the road, but when they returned the next morning, the hole had grown larger. "They drilled a hole there, with that big piece of equipment sitting at the bottom of the driveway. And then, they moved their equipment and, they came back this morning, and there was a big hole there," Johnson said. Johnson said the hole is now two feet deep, and while crews have been drilling, he remains unsure of their purpose. "They're on the phone with their engineers trying to figure out something I don't know. I don't think they know," Johnson said. Gulf Coast News previously reported on Johnson's concerns last month. He said he has been documenting the issue since it began last year and is frustrated by the lack of action. "I wanted the city just to do something. I mean, when we told them about this a year ago and they're just dragging their feet," Johnson said. After speaking with multiple crews on the scene, Gulf Coast News learned that the drilling is part of an investigation into the cause of the road dipping. A drilling company said they are gathering data for the city, which will receive the findings once testing is complete. For the Johnsons, the hope is that answers—and action—come sooner rather than later.DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.