UPPER MERION, Pa. (CBS) – A 75-foot wide sink hole suddenly opened up along route 202 north near mall boulevard in Upper Merion Township’s “King-of Prussia” section Friday morning not far from the King of Prussia Mall.

The sink hole began forming and opening up around 5 a.m. Upper Merion police immediately set up local detours and closed the northbound lanes of Rt. 202 until the problem could be assessed and then repaired.

Valerie Levesque reports…

The area where the sink hole developed is notorious for sink holes.

Over the past 20 years there have been several large sink holes that have opened up in the same general area.

Engineers have said the problem is the composition of the ground. Much of the area is limestone.

Over time water and runoff eat away at the lime deposits and sink holes develop. In the past, PennDOT has filled these sinkholes with stone and concrete.

In one instance, Route 202 was rebuilt and skirted completely around a sink hole that had opened up on Route 202 in the 1970s just north of Henderson Road near an old stone quarry.

The road remains closed in both directions while PennDOT and their engineers works on repairs.

Drivers are urged to use alternate routes.

Reported by Al Novak, KYW Newsradio

Bob Kelly helps you avoid the sink hole…