I-80 sinkhole repairs will take 2 more months, New Jersey officials say
I-80 eastbound in Wharton, New Jersey will remain closed for two more months to repair sinkhole damage, state transportation officials said Friday.
The repairs are taking place between Exit 34 and the bridge over Route 15.
A sinkhole shut down part of the highway in February and revealed a massive problem including voids under the roadway.
New Jersey Department of Transportation officials say they're building a crossover to shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound, reducing westbound traffic lanes to one but creating a lane capable of keeping tractor trailers and other large vehicles moving on I-80 as opposed to having them take local roads.
"The drilling and grouting work is outlining the area that will require a more extensive repair. We expect to measure progress not by how many locations are drilled and grouted each day, but by how many days each location will take to be drilled and grouted," NJDOT Commissioner Fran O'Connor said. "This phase of the repair is expected to take another four weeks, with the entire repair likely to take about two months."
Officials outlined a series of steps that have to be taken before the road can reopen, including:
- Drilling and grouting operations, which will take about four weeks. Mor than 135 locations have been drilled thus far and 114 have been filled with grout.
- Repairing the sinkhole
- Quality assurance testing
- Installation of a monitoring system
- Milling and paving
Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency related to the repairs, a key step toward getting federal funding to help pay for the repairs.
Motorists are encouraged to avoid the area and to use alternate routes.
NJDOT detours and alternate routes
The NJDOT put out the following suggested alternative routes:
I-80 eastbound Exit 34 Detour:
- Motorists on I-80 eastbound are being directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta
- At the end of the ramp, stay right following signs for Route 15/Jefferson/Dover/Sparta/Picatinny Arsenal
- Stay in the right lane on North Main Street following signs for Route 15 North/Jefferson/Sparta
- Bear right toward Route 15 northbound/Picatinny Arsenal
- At the traffic signal, merge onto Route 15 northbound
- Stay left, following signs for Pondview Drive/U and Left Turns
- Using both lanes, make a U-turn at the Pondview Drive traffic signal and merge onto Route 15 southbound
- Stay left to take the exit to I-80 eastbound
Traffic is advised to use Exit 28 to take Route 10 eastbound or Route 46 eastbound as an alternate route to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure.
Route 10 eastbound Alternate Route:
- Motorists on I-80 eastbound are advised to take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong, which is several miles before the closure
- Continue on Route 46 eastbound
- Stay right to take Route 10 eastbound
- Take the exit to I-287 northbound
- Stay right to take the ramp to I-80 eastbound
Route 46 eastbound Alternate Route:
- Motorists on I-80 eastbound are advised to take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong, which is several miles before the closure
- Continue on Route 46 eastbound
- Stay in the two left lanes to turn left at the traffic signal to continue on Route 46 eastbound
- Turn left onto Route 15 northbound in Dover, back to I-80
or
- Continue on Route 46 eastbound for about 12 miles and stay left for I-80 eastbound
