The portion of Main Street under construction between 10th and 11th streets in Pennsburg remains on schedule to open this month. Work to build ADA ramps crossing the street near 10th Street has extended the planned opening, according to information provided by a spokesperson with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

            Robyn Briggs, a community relations coordinator with the agency, wrote in a Nov. 1 email message that additional resurfacing had to be added to address deteriorated and damaged pavement due to the relocation of the existing water main and valves that were in conflict with construction.

            Briggs wrote that the construction crew expressed hope that the roadway will be open in a couple of weeks. A final inspection of the work has been scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday, according to a letter from Harold R. Windisch, P.E., PennDOT's assistant district executive, to multiple interested parties and stakeholders.

            Last month, the spokesperson announced that the anticipated completion of the work on Route 29, near the Red Hill borough line, is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15. She also wrote in an Oct. 18 email message that vehicle traffic would have access by Nov. 2.

            Briggs did not address a question related to an apparent communication issue between PennDOT and the Upper Perkiomen School District. At 10:07 a.m. on Nov. 1, district spokesperson Alexis Jenofsky shared a message on ParentSquare announcing the reopening of Route 29 after an extended period of construction. It stated that the district's transportation department "has been working tirelessly on re-routes and is prepared to implement changes to various bus routes, to ensure smoother bus runs."

            Less than an hour later, the project manager from H&K sent an email message informing several school district administrators that the road would not be opening on Nov. 3 due to PennDOT adding work. The H&K employee estimated that the reopening date "will be pushed back a couple of weeks." The message was then forwarded to a school board member.

            Three hours after her initial post, Jenofsky shared an update that the agency has introduced additional changes to the construction plan that will result in a delay in the anticipated opening of the state highway. It also stated that all bus routes "will continue to operate as they have been until further notice."

            PennDOT provided the Nov. 3 opening date to district officials a few weeks earlier, according to Jenofsky, who added that Jennifer Malone, the director of transportation, has been in close contact with the agency throughout the whole project.

            Jenofsky wrote in an email received Tuesday morning that the district's transportation department "got right to work re-routing buses to make travel even smoother. It just so happens that after we sent the email, we were notified that PennDOT was adding to the project and it would not be opening as originally planned."