Second Sinkhole Closes Lanes on New Jersey Highway

A section of a major New Jersey highway has been closed due to a sinkhole for the second time in less than two months.

Crews are working to repair a sinkhole on the Eastbound side of Interstate 80 in Wharton. The lanes remain closed.

According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT), the newly-compromised roadway is 75 feet away from where sinkhole repairs were completed in December. The area where that sinkhole was repaired is stable, DOT said.

I-80 eastbound was closed last December 26 due to a sinkhole and reopened December 30 after repairs.

This Monday around 6:45 a.m, workers spotted a depression in the center lane. According to DOT, as the workers were boring holes to investigate the depression, the new sinkhole opened up, making the area unsafe for motorists.

“Emergency repairs are always dynamic situations, and conditions can change quickly. While conducting tests of the roadway to determine the extent of the damage, conditions worsened,” DOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor said.

O’Connor said crews are working 24 hours-a-day to complete the latest repairs and reopen the lanes.

Traffic is currently being detoured at Exit 34. However, drivers are advised to use Exit 28 to take Route 46 eastbound or Route 10 eastbound to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure.

Topics New Jersey