Tuesday’s Deluge Causes Closure Of Muddy Thomas Road in Tredyffrin

TREDYFFRIN, PA — Tuesday’s deluge caused debris from the Pennsylvania Turnpike widening project to fall into the roadway, resulting in the closing of Thomas Road in both directions.

A total of 2 to 4 inches of rain fell in the region, causing minor flooding in basements and on roadways.

Thomas Road was still closed in both directions Wednesday afternoon, covered in mud with unmanned construction equipment and trash strew on the roadway.

Thomas Road is the main road to get to Gulph Road entrance of Valley Forge National Historic Park.

As a result of Thomas Road closing Tuesday, motorists are required to take detours on to Gulph and Glen Hardie roads to get out of the residential neighborhood.

Widening bridges over Thomas and Glen Hardie roads are part of a $117.M project to widen a 2-mile stretch of the turnpike at the Valley Forge Interchange.

Both roads are reduced to one lane with traffic lights stopping vehicles.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025.

Turnpike officials said that the two-mile stretch at the Valley Forge Interchange near the King of Prussia mall is the most widely traveled section of the turnpike.

The plan involved improving stormwater management and noise control.

In the meantime, motorists are forced to endure possible falling of rocks and trees on the roadway during construction.

The signals will only be activated for construction of one at a time, creating an inconvenience for motorists enroute to work in the region.

Crews are along the roadside daily monitoring traffic.

Thomas and Glenhardie are used as cut throughs from the Phoenixville area to King of Prussia.

The construction of culvert extensions at the two Trout Creek branches beneath the turnpike was completed in June in preparation for the widening of the eastbound and westbound lanes.

Crews continue to install a stormwater drainage system on the westbound side of the turnpike.

Township supervisors address problem

Township supervisors are in the midst of addressing drainage problems.

They are in the process of setting up a stormwater management fee system to help with financing improvements necessary to keep residents safe.

So far this summer, there have been no major storms wreaking havoc on the township like last summer when Hurricanes Ida and Fred dumped nearly a foot of rain.

This year, the area has been extremely dry. Trout Creek, which extends through Tredyffrin Township to King of Prussia, dried up for several weeks.

Tuesday’s rainfall resulted in the creek filling up about a foot.