On Sunday Morning at around 8:00 a.m. the Route 33 Northbound bridge that crosses the Bushkill Creek (just before the Route 191 (Stockertown) exit) developed a sinkhole underneath one of the supporting pylons. The PA State Police and PennDOT closed Route 33 North from Route 248 to Route 191 (it's approx. a 3 mile stretch). PennDOT is waiting for the bridge to collapse as the sinkhole grows underneath it. Sinkholes have become a major problem for the area surrounding the Bushkill Creek for the past few years. Huge subterranian Limestone deposits exist in this area. One of the more popular theories for the sinkholes forming all of a sudden attributes the surge in development as the cause. The building of all the new housing developments and shopping malls in the area is apparently effecting water run-off.
I drove through there on my way home from work at 6:30 a.m. (an hour and a half before the Police closed it) at 75 m.p.h. My SUV hit the dip in the bridge, my head hit the roof, and I spilled my coffee all over myself. I was lucky I didn't wreck ;-)
Anyway, the PSP has set up a detour- Rt. 33N is CLOSED at Rt. 248. Traffic is being detoured onto Rt. 248 into and through Nazareth and out on to Rt. 191. This detour is through a residential area with many stop lights and traffic lights. Traffic is a NIGHTMARE! Expect to be delayed for AT LEAST AN HOUR! If you are coming from the West via Rt. 22, get off at the 512 exit and go through Bath. Eventually 512 will take you to Rt. 33 in Wind Gap.
If you are coming from the East via Rt. 22, get off at the second exit in PA (the 3rd St. exit - Easton) At the end of a ramp, make a right. Follow that up the hill and keep following it out of the City of Easton. It will turn in to Sullivan Trail. Take it for about 12 or 13 miles- it will eventually lead you to the Rt. 33 ramp at Rt. 191 (Stockertown).
If you are coming off of I-78, take 33 North to Route 22. Either take 22 West to 512 and follow the directions above, or take 22 East and get off at the last exit in PA (4th St.) Go two blocks and make a left on to 3rd St. Then follow the directions above.
If you take Rt. 33 North and follow PennDOT's detour, I guarantee you your trip to Camelback WILL be ruined.
Here are some maps, I put a red X where the impending collapse is, and I highlighted my recomended detours. Once again, if you use the official detour, you will be in gridlock.
