A section of First Street between Constitution and Independence avenues has been reopened to vehicle traffic this afternoon after construction crews backfilled and covered a sinkhole that had formed earlier today adjacent to a Capitol Visitor Center construction project.

CVC officials said that poor soil conditions below the road bed combined with significant rainfall the past several days caused a small portion of the asphalt to collapse just south of the temporary vehicle bridge over First Street at the intersection with East Capitol Street.

A section of Maryland Avenue between First and Second streets Northeast, which also was closed to vehicle traffic due to the incident this morning, also has been reopened.

— John McArdle