All Lanes Remain Closed On Route 80 In Morris County

Story last updated: Thursday 5 p.m.

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — All lanes remain closed on Route I-80 in both directions after a new sinkhole yawned open in the median near exit 34 in Wharton Wednesday night, officials said.

The scheduled drilling operation Wednesday night caused a new 15-foot by 15-footsinkhole to open in the median on I-80 eastbound. Traffic is now being diverted from Exit 34B in Wharton to Route 15N.

"The road is closed out of an abundance of caution [for motorists]," Assemblywoman Aura Dunn for the 25th District said Wednesday night. "It's a major, major inconvenience, but [this project] has been ongoing with safety as the top priority."

Dunn later added: "The presence of a mine approximately 200-300 feet beneath the roadway is identified as the central cause of these sinkholes, and the NJDOT is committed to ensuring that both short-term fixes and long-term solutions are in place to secure the roadway."

Because of the new sinkhole additional testing on the westbound side is now underway. NJDOT crews have halted non-essential roadwork across New Jersey to focus all resources on the new repair.

"The Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner has been in touch with federal and neighboring state DOTs to collaborate on traffic flow management and resource sharing," Dunn said in a statement released Thursday.

The NJDOT will also meet on Thursday to form a new plan of action, officials say. In the meantime, the following alternate routes are recommended:

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:
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