DELTONA, Fla. -- One by one, trucks are hauling in dirt from a nearby retention pond to fill the massive Deltona sinkhole. County leaders say they're saving money because the dirt is free.

One after another Monday, 10 oversized dump trucks picked up dirt and sand and transported it down the road. Over 2,000 truckloads of dirt will fill the 50-foot deep sinkhole, about the size of a football field.

When the sinkhole opened up on December 18th, county officials had to find a way to deal with the problem. They decided to take dirt and soil at the retention pond that was just a few blocks away.

"We were able to haul the fill less than a quarter of a mile away and, of course, the county owns the pond so we don't have to pay for the fill itself," explains Volusia County spokesperson Dave Byron.

The trucks will fill the sinkhole with 30,000 cubic yards of dirt. Once the sinkhole is filled, experts will come out and take soil tests to make sure the ground is stable and if any other precautions need too be taken.

"We'll be able to compact it, build the road right over it, which is the cheapest way to go," says Byron.

Most of Howland Boulevard will be reopened by Monday. That means teachers, parents and students will have access to Deltona High School. In the meantime, a concrete barrier will surround the sinkhole until is completely repaired.

After the sinkhole is filled, crews will spend about two months repaving the road.