Sinkhole Forces Closure of Shared-Use Path in Ferguson Township

A half-mile section of a bicycle and pedestrian path in Ferguson Township is temporarily closed because of a sinkhole.

The shared-use path along Blue Course Drive between Bristol Avenue to Birch Court is expected to be closed for at least three days, as township staff assess, determine the cause and repair the sinkhole, according to the township.

The sinkhole extends into the Haymarket Park stormwater basin.

While sinkholes are not uncommon in Centre County, it is the latest of several in the past year that have caused disruptions.

Penn State’s Eisenhower Parking Deck was closed for days in August after a sinkhole opened on the road near the structure. According to the university, water from a failed underground stormwater pipe caused the sinkhole.

The west parking lot of the Centre County Sheriff’s Office closed in August because of a sinkhole. The sinkhole was narrow, but covered a wide area beneath the surface and went as deep as 18 feet in some places, according to county officials. County administrator John Franek said there was a history of sinkholes on the site and “a lot of loose debris” below ground. The Board of Commissioners approved a contract of up to $70,500 for repair work.

Residents of 18 townhomes at Georgetown Park on Amblewood Way in Patton Township were displaced for months because of a sinkhole and water main break on Christmas Day last year.