Route 29 (Morehall Road) Sinkhole Remediation Project

County: Chester
Municipality: East Whiteland Township    
State Route(s): Route 29
Local Name(s): Morehall Road
Project Type: Sinkhole Remediation
Last Updated: January 2026

Construction on the Route 29 (Morehall Road) sinkhole remediation project began in January 2025 to provide a long-term solution to address repeat sinkholes that have occurred within the roadway. Work will be completed along Route 29 (Morehall Road) in East Whiteland Township, Chester County, between Great Valley Parkway and the I-76 (PA Turnpike eastbound) on-ramp, north of Atwater Drive.

The proposed scope of work includes a limited mobility grouting program, which will involve drilling a series of holes through the pavement in a “grid” pattern. Pressurized grout will be injected into the drilled holes to fill subsurface voids beneath the roadway. The filling of subsurface voids will help stabilize the ground beneath the pavement and will reduce the risk of future sinkholes. Additional proposed work for this project includes drainage pipe replacement, stabilization and lining of roadside swales, and pavement reconstruction.

The Department completed public outreach to adjacent owners and businesses and will coordinate construction activities to maintain access to all connecting properties. 

Heidelberg Materials, LLC of the northeast region, is the general contractor on this project, which is financed with 100 percent federal funds.

Traffic has been shifted onto the newly reconstructed northbound lanes between the Pennsylvania Turnpike Interchange and Great Valley Parkway.

Both northbound and southbound motorists are now using a single lane in each direction on the northbound side. This configuration will remain in place until Stage 3 construction (drilling and grouting work and rebuilding the southbound lane) is completed in early June 2026.

Atwater Drive is now open to traffic.

Stage 4 construction will implement periodic lane closures to complete the entire project in summer 2026.

Local access will be maintained for all residences and businesses. Drivers are advised to allow extra time when traveling through the work area because backups and delays will occur. 

Fixing sinkholes on Route 29 and U.S. 202 is a massive engineering puzzle that goes way deeper than the pavement!

The geology under a sinkhole is unpredictable. Under the surface, bedrock depth can shift by 60ft in just a few steps. Our crews often drill over 100 feet deep, and we don’t stop until we’ve penetrated 10 feet of solid rock to ensure a permanent fix.

Why does it take so long?

Drilling through solid rock takes much longer than drilling through soil and limestone—about 5-10 minutes for every 10 feet. With hundreds of holes to drill and specialized equipment to move, it’s a time-consuming process. This work is so specialized that we have experts on-site from as far away as California!

Low Mobility Grouting (LMG)

Once the holes are ready, we use LMG. Think of it as thick, heavy "toothpaste" pumped deep underground. Unlike runny concrete, it stays in a tight bulb, using high pressure to squeeze and compact the soil, filling hidden voids and stopping sinkholes before they start.

Check out this video below to see the drilling process in action!