PLYMOUTH MEETING — The northbound lane of Plymouth Road was planned to close Friday night after early signs another sinkhole was forming, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.
The northbound lane will shut down from Butler Pike and Rittenhouse Square in Plymouth Township. Motorists should use Germantown Pike, along with Flourtown and Joshua roads as alternative routes. However, area residents and businesses will be permitted local access.
Previously, the road closed on Friday, Feb. 2, as the roughly 15-by-15-foot sinkhole was cordoned off. The stretch of road was shut down for about a week before reopening to traffic.
The right turning lane into an apartment complex has been inaccessible for the past two weeks, a move PennDOT Community Relations Coordinator Robyn Briggs said was required to monitor the area.
It’s unclear how long the lane closure will last as PennDOT engineers need to “further assess the extent of the damage and develop a plan to fully repair and safely reopen the highway,” a spokesperson said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. Construction activities are also “weather dependent.”
The thoroughfare, which connects to major regional arteries such as Interstate 476 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, reopened on Feb. 9. Around 9,700 vehicles travel along the Plymouth Township road each day.
PennDOT officials urged motorists to pack their patience, “allow for extra time” and be mindful of crews while traveling through the area.
