Mancunian Way will be shut in both directions this weekend after a 40ft sinkhole appeared in the road.
Heavy rain flooded a culvert underneath the road and caused part of the eastbound carriageway to collapse spectacularly on Friday afternoon.
A section of the A57 (M) between the MacDonald Hotel and Fairfield Street remains shut.
Manchester council is warning the public not to walk near the sinkhole, which is fenced off from the road.
The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for Friday afternoon after 20mm of rain fell in just two hours.
Roadworkers are still at the scene but say it’s unclear how stable the area around the hole is.
Large cracks appeared in the pavement when the road fell in on itself.
It’s feared repairs on the hole could take several days, with the road remaining shut for weeks.
A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: ““Part of the Mancunian Way has been closed after a section of the eastbound carriageway collapsed.
“Anybody crossing the cordon is also hindering the progress of the work being carried out by engineers at the site.
“The location of the collapse corresponds to a culvert that runs beneath the road, but a full assessment won’t be carried out until we are satisfied it is safe for inspection.
“We are currently working to stabilise the site to prevent any further collapse. For safety reasons, the road will remain closed in both directions over the weekend.”
