Route 80 sinkhole in Morris County causes major traffic delays

On By Littum

The high-traffic area of ​​Interstate 80 eastbound near the Wharton exit will remain closed “until further notice” as crews assess and repair a massive sinkhole, according to officials.

Located off the dual-lane roadway, the large depression stretches 40 feet wide and 40 feet deep, New Jersey Department of Transportation officials said Thursday evening. The sinkhole was confirmed by officials at 7:45 An warning from 511nj.org stated that all lanes were closed and detoured and motorists were advised to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

The cause of the sinkhole has not yet been determined, NJDOT officials said.

“NJDOT crews responded immediately and are on scene continuing to evaluate the situation, determine the extent of the damage and stabilize the area to design a repair,” officials said.

I-80 sinkhole alternate routes

NJDOT has encouraged motorists to seek alternate routes, such as Route 46, or use the I-80 detour instead:

Route 46 eastbound detour:

  • Motorists on I-80 should take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong. This detour is several kilometers before the closure
  • Once on Route 46 Eastbound, stay in the two left lanes and turn left at the traffic signal to continue on Route 46 Eastbound.
  • Turn left onto Route 15 Northbound in Dover, bringing you back onto I-80.
  • Alternatively, motorists could stay on Route 46 eastbound for about 12 miles until reaching I-80 eastbound on the left

I-80 Eastbound Detour:

  • Motorists on I-80 eastbound are detoured to Exit 34 for Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta
  • Keep right and follow signs for Route 15/Jefferson/Dover/Sparta
  • Continue in the left lane on North Main Street in Wharton to Route 15 southbound to I-80/Dover
  • Merge onto route 15 southbound
  • Stay in the left lane to take the exit for I-80 eastbound

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Route 80 sinkhole in Morris County causes major traffic delays: Video

A sinkhole on I-80 eastbound near exit 34 has closed the roadway and is directing traffic into Wharton, according to officials.

Interstate 80 westbound is not affected.

A live feed from 511nj.org from Interstate 80 looking west shortly after 1 p.m. 17 Thursday, showed traffic moving quickly on the westbound side with traffic cones set up and several emergency vehicles on the eastbound side. A line of traffic appeared to stand still as motorists waited to take exit 34.

The exact timing of the work is subject to change due to weather and other factors, NJDOT officials said.

Check the NJDOT website or social media for I-80 updates

Motorists can check several places for the latest updates on the sinkhole repair:

This story will be updated as new information becomes available.