The 66ft (20m) diameter hole spread across a front garden and driveway on Fontmell Close and is 33ft (10m) deep.
Hertfordshire County Council said five homes were evacuated and 20 people were taken to a centre set up at the nearby Batchwood Sports Centre.
Residents are said to have heard a crash before the huge crater appeared.
A spokesman for the fire service said it was previously aware of a small hole that was due to be filled in.
Firefighters received a call at 01:30 BST to say the hole had "opened up substantially" overnight.
Pregnant evacuee
A Hertfordshire County Council spokesman said: "We were informed about a hole in the footpath last week. It was inspected and barriers put around it on Monday.
"Work was scheduled to fill it in this morning. Following our inspection, there was no reason to suspect that the hole would collapse."
Heavily pregnant Gemma Bagshaw, 32, is expecting to give birth any day now and she was woken by the sound of the noise.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-34410423
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