Pennsylvania State Police closed the southbound center lane of I-95 approaching the Girard Avenue exit after several cars hit the crater.
PennDOT crews went to work patching the hole, but a PennDOT spokesman told Action News the material didn't hold.
Crumbling asphalt from the repair rained down onto East Cumberland Street in Fishtown below, forcing officials to close that road overnight.
An outside contractor was later called in the make permanent repairs to the pothole on the highway. That work was expected to be complete later in the day on Saturday.
