Route 80 east in Wharton to remain closed two more months for sinkhole repairs

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14-03-2025

Interstate 80 east in Wharton will remain closed for another two months as work to repair damages from the sinkhole continues, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced on Friday.
However, there is a plan to create a "crossover" lane to help alleviate some detours and delays on the highway.
The emergency repairs between Exit 34 and the bridge over Route 15 in Wharton have been split into six different phases, said the department. The repairing of the actual sinkhole has not yet started.
The NJ DOT said they have completed the first phase which is "geotechnical tests" which were done to assess the condition of the roadway base. These tests helped the department identify approximately 150 locations to drill and grout.
The drilling and grouting on the road is the next step in repairs, and is expected to last approximately four weeks, said the NJDOT. This construction is meant to stabilize the area under the roadway, where a "significant void" was found.
In the locations that need to be repaired, 135 have been drilled and 114 have been filled with grout. While 75% of the locations have been drilled and grouted, the remaining locations are "closer to the area of greatest concern" and therefore will require more time to be completed.
The repairing of the sinkhole will take place once drilling and grouting on the highway is finished, said NJDOT.
The design of the repairs will be similar to what was used to fix the sinkhole in December 2024, which also occurred on I-80 in Wharton.
The procedure will include "excavating the area, installing a base of large stone with a wire mesh on top. More stone and a concrete layer will go over the wire mesh. Additional fill and soil will be placed on top of the concrete and compacted before several layers of asphalt will be applied to reconstruct the road," the NJDOT said.
While repairs happen, a monitoring system will be installed to track surface and underground conditions. The monitoring system will include remote sensing technology on poles that will scan the pavement for changes, sensors beneath the road which will detect early signs of subsurface movement and deeper underground devices to monitor long-term soil stability.
Quality assurance testing, milling and paving will also be a part of the repair process.
The state is also looking to the federal government in help funding the sinkhole repairs. The Emergency Declaration, laid out my Gov. Phil Murphy, was a step toward applying for emergency federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Along with the update on repairs, NJ DOT said there is a plan for a "crossover lane," which would "shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound," reducing westbound traffic to two lanes.
The design for the crossover lane is still being finalized, said the department.
The hope is that this crossover lane will ensure tractor trailers and other large commercial vehicles will not have to take the detour and alternate routes, which will remain in place, and instead continue on to I-80.
Once the crossover design is complete, construction will last approximately two weeks, said the state DOT.
Local officials were informed about the potential plan of a crossover lane and how it may affect their towns in Morris County.
Many of the same alternative routes and detours remain in place as construction continues on the highway. The NJDOT press release listed some of the available detours in place.
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
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
NJ DOT advises 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 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
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Route 80 in Wharton NJ closed two more months for sinkhole repairs