I-80 eastbound has officially reopened after days of emergency repairs to a massive sinkhole in Wharton, New Jersey. Traffic resumed around 8 a.m. Monday morning following around-the-clock work by crews throughout the holiday weekend. The sinkhole, which opened around 7:45 a.m. Thursday just past Exit 34, swallowed a portion of the eastbound shoulder. Officials attributed the collapse to an abandoned mineshaft.
Repairs involved excavating and stabilizing the 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole. Crews installed wire mesh, stone aggregate, and a concrete layer, followed by additional fill and compaction, before laying down several asphalt layers to reconstruct the road.
“I want to commend the outstanding efforts of the NJDOT and contractor crews that worked tirelessly to get Interstate 80 reopened quickly and safely for the motoring public,” said Commissioner Fran O’Connor. “Given the extensive nature of the damage, it is truly remarkable the amount of work that was done in such a short amount of time.”
—
*Get Eyewitness News Delivered
*More New Jersey news
*Send us a news tip
*Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
*Follow us on YouTube
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.