Germantown Ave. Roadwork Causes Scrambling Wednesday

Some businesses along Germantown Avenue opened Wednesday morning with a surprise: Germantown Avenue was being dug up, in places, by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

According to Charles Metzger, a spokesman for PennDOT, the department is working on stabilizing, grouting and replacing cobblestones that have come loose in the last two years.

“It’s Indiscriminate [where cobblestone are being fixed], there is not a pattern. Because of the shape of the cobblestone, and a ton of traffic everyday, some are coming loose and pooping out a little,” Metzger said.

The work is starting at Mermaid Lane, will work up the east side of the avenue to Bethlehem Pike, and then work back down the west side. Metzger said the work should take “a couple of weeks.”

The work, along with minor parking restrictions that are resulting from it, surprised at least one business owner on the lower Hill. In an email to Chestnut Hill Patch, Amy Edelman, owner of , wrote:

“This is our second busiest month of the year and had no idea this was happening. With some notice we could have let our customers know that there is parking in the Staple's lot and the apartment building next door (I had to scramble at 8 a.m. this morning to get approval from the Staple's manager and still waiting to hear from the apartment building owner.)
“We support the cleaning and repair of the cobblestones but the lack of communication sent us all in a frantic tizzy at 6 a.m. this morning and we are still reeling trying to get the message out to our customers.”

Edelman added that her business received no notice of the construction, and that the Chestnut Hill Business Association was also unaware of the construction.

Peggy Miller, of the business association, sent out an email Wednesday afternoon to members discussing the roadwork.

“We spoke to the project manager today who informed us that, while the work will be somewhat messy, PennDOT hopes to have it completed in three weeks and will do their best to keep the dirt and dust to a minimum.  Crews will be working Monday to Friday, from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.”

Should PennDOT be required to notify businesses that will be affected by construction? Tell us what you think in comments.