Traffic backs up as PennDOT begins Route 202 sinkhole project in King of Prussia

UPPER MERION TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- Drivers who use Route 202 in Montgomery County could be facing major traffic headaches for the next several months.

A stretch of the southbound side of the highway in King of Prussia is closed to repair recurring sinkholes.

As vehicles crawl past orange cones and over a bumpy stretch of road, the congestion is expected to continue for most of the year.

PennDOT crews are working on a $22 million sinkhole remediation project along the southbound lanes of 202 between Henderson Road and Saulin Boulevard.

"It's part of everyday life. You just gotta jump in line if you're gonna wait in line. Sometimes you know a way around it," said Richard Johnson of Norristown.

The project stems from repeated sinkhole issues along the corridor, including a massive sinkhole in 2024 that shut down the roadway for months. Crews will drill to fill voids beneath the road to stabilize the area.

Construction began Thursday as crews moved equipment into place and set up road closures.

"We ask for patience. It will pay off in the long run. You'll have a nice new 202 corridor to drive on," said Helen Reinbrecht, PennDOT's community relations coordinator.

This work marks phase two of PennDOT's plan. Crews completed similar repairs on the northbound lanes last fall.

"Communication is critical. There's a lot of entities involved in this project," Reinbrecht said.

Among those entities are businesses along the busy corridor that have experienced the disruption before. The previous phase of construction took longer than expected and affected customer access.

"It made it difficult for people to come, for our shoppers," said Lisa Cristinzio of Marian's Attic.

Employees at Marian's Attic say they hope customers will continue to find ways around the closure.

"People did still come out and support us. We did a sinkhole sale, which people loved; we put everything on sale to try to make the best out of it," Cristinzio said.

Drivers are also bracing for longer commutes.

"I heard about the nine months, and I'm not excited about that," said Nick Contos of Conshohocken.

PennDOT says detours are in place to help customers reach businesses, and the township has redesigned parking lots to ensure stores remain accessible from back roads.