Another Rt. 80 sinkhole forces detour in Wharton, New Jersey
Another sinkhole on I-80 in Wharton, New Jersey has the highway closed in both directions, forcing drivers to follow detours around the area.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation said a 15-foot by 15-foot hole opened up in the center median during a drilling operation Wednesday. Chopper 2 flew over the scene, where traffic was backed up for miles during the evening commute and into the night.
All lanes remain closed in both directions Thursday, and traffic is being detoured onto local roads at the junction with Route 15.
"It's so bad, it's bumper-to-bumper outside my house," Jefferson Township resident Sharon Bock said. "My grandchildren cannot get on the school bus. They're late every single day to school. It's just unbearable."
It's not clear how long the new closure will last or if it will impact plans to shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound.
Sinkholes on I-80 cause weeks of traffic troubles
This is the latest in a series of sinkholes that have been plaguing I-80 between Exit 34 and the bridge over Route 15 since last December. They've been blamed on abandoned mineshafts in the area that have collapsed.
Wednesday's collapse happened in an area that was under repair, with workmen and construction equipment nearby.
Repairs on the existing sinkholes and voids under the roadway were expected to take at least another two months, officials said. It's unclear if Wednesday's sinkhole will affect that timeline.
Gov. Phil Murphy previously declared a state of emergency related to the I-80 repairs, a necessary step toward tapping into federal funds.
"It's not really our problem. It's a federal road, a state road. But that being said, we have to deal with all the aftermath that comes around here, and that's what we've been doing," Wharton Mayor William Chegwidden said.
Chegwidden worries about the impact on local roads.
"I can't even imagine what they're gonna look like when it's done, because we're not used to this kind of traffic," he said.
"It has been sheer chaos. The traffic is just horrific. Everyone's impatient," Rockaway resident Nikki Carpenter said.
Residents in a nearby apartment complex recently complained of new cracks in their building that they feared might be related to repair work and construction of the nearby sinkholes.
The mayor said those residents should have received a report Wednesday from inspectors.
"There's been a structural engineer, and they deemed the building to be safe," he said.
The sinkholes have many feeling uneasy.
"We're just very nervous," Carpenter said.
While not thrilled with the road closures, Carpenter said she wants workers to take their time.
"I'm OK with it, because I'd rather be safe than sorry," she said.
