Two westbound lanes on I-80 are set to reopen late tonight, Friday, May 30, as crews complete emergency repairs following a sinkhole that opened beneath the highway in February in Morris County. Weather may affect the schedule, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
Paving operations finished earlier today. The new asphalt must cool and dry before workers can apply striping. The process depends on dry conditions. A barrier curb will then be installed to separate active traffic from the median work zone. Once the westbound lanes reopen, NJDOT will remove the Exit 34B detour.
Drivers will use the shoulder and right lane through the area. The westbound speed limit drops to 45 mph. Officials urged caution and reminded drivers the zone remains active.
Crews continue 24-hour operations in the median. All six concrete slabs are poured. The next step includes sealant application and several layers of asphalt. The center lane work proceeds more slowly than side lanes due to tight space and live traffic on both sides. Despite those challenges, NJDOT remains on track to fully reopen all lanes in both directions by June 25.
Two eastbound lanes reopened May 21, and the corresponding detour at Exit 34 ended. The eastbound speed limit remains at 40 mph while final work continues.
NJDOT plans to provide updates as work progresses and said it will seek opportunities to finish ahead of schedule if possible.
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