October 22, 2025
Provided Image/Schuylkill River Development Corporation
The Schuylkill River Trail will be temporarily closed between Race Street and JFK Boulevard after a large sinkhole formed under the asphalt.
The portion of the Schuylkill River Trail between Race Street and JFK Boulevard will be indefinitely closed because of a large sinkhole that has formed under the surface.
The Schuylkill River Development Corporation, the nonprofit that oversees the management of the corridor in partnership with the city, is working alongside Philadelphia's Parks & Recreation Department and Water Department to conduct emergency repairs.
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SRDC President Joseph Syrnick said a trail user notified the organization about the crater late last week. When engineers visited the site, they discovered a sinkhole roughly 8 feet deep, 8 feet wide and 10 feet long — most of it concealed by asphalt. So far, it's unclear what caused the sinkhole.
That section of the trail was closed Tuesday afternoon, and Syrnick warned the repairs could take months.
"We don't know what's going on down there ... but I don't think this happened over night" Syrnick said. "We have to figure out what this is and do a design of the fix, which may be easy or hard. Until that happens, we won't have a clue about [when it will reopen] or what it will cost."
The sinkhole is near a sewer line, which requires the Water Department to get involved to ensure there's no damage to the infrastructure.
Brian Rademaekers, public information officer with the agency, said that a dye tracing investigation is being conducted to determine if a potential sewer leak caused the cave-in. He said the project may lead to discolored water around the site but does not pose a threat to the public or environment.
"Once we confirm what washed out this section under the trail, we will work with SRDC to determine any next steps needed to get the trail opened," Rademaekers said in a statement.
While the area is closed, the SRDC suggests using detours that are posted on fencing around the trail and the group's website.
This story was updated with a statement from the Philadelphia Water Department.
