COLUMBUS, Miss. (WTVA) - Drivers can now safely travel on Gardner Boulevard after workers reopened it Thursday afternoon.

Crews did emergency repairs to a section of Gardner Boulevard near Highway 182.

Columbus Public Information Officer Joe Dillon said a sinkhole appeared over the weekend and workers found a leaking sewer line which caused the sinkhole to form..

After several months, the leak washed away the dirt and the road caved in.

After drilling underground and pumping out gallons of water, crews finished the necessary repairs two days earlier than expected.

Dillon said Perma Corp and Columbus Light and Water began emergency repairs on Monday.

He said this is one of the busiest roads in East Columbus, so repairing it was a high priority.

Crews filled the hole with 12-15 feet of dirt and put gravel over it.

Dillon said, "Right now it’s going to be a little bumpy, but then as the dirt compacts we’ll come back and bring in more dirt more gravel. Once it finally settles out very solid then it’ll be paved back over and be nice and smooth."