Another large sinkhole on Interstate 80 in Wharton, New Jersey, has caused major traffic disruptions, forcing drivers to follow detours around the affected area.
According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, a 15-by-15-foot hole opened up in the center median during a drilling operation on Wednesday. Aerial footage showed heavy traffic backups stretching for miles throughout the evening rush hour and into the night.
As of Thursday morning, all lanes of I-80 remain closed in both directions, with traffic being rerouted at the Route 15 interchange. Officials have not provided a timeline for when the highway will reopen or whether this latest collapse will impact an ongoing project to shift eastbound lanes onto the westbound side.
This incident is the latest in a series of sinkholes that have plagued I-80 between Exit 34 and the Route 15 overpass since December. The issue has been linked to the collapse of abandoned mineshafts beneath the roadway. Wednesday’s sinkhole appeared in an area already under repair, with construction crews and equipment nearby.
Repair work on previous sinkholes and voids beneath the highway was expected to take at least two more months, but it’s unclear if this new collapse will delay that timeline.
In response to the ongoing infrastructure issues, Governor Phil Murphy previously declared a state of emergency to access federal funding for repairs. Meanwhile, residents of a nearby apartment complex have reported new cracks in their building, which they suspect may be linked to the sinkhole-related construction. The mayor indicated that those residents were scheduled to receive an inspection report on Wednesday.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.