Yet another sinkhole has opened on Interstate 80 through Wharton, N.J., closing the heavily trafficked highway in both directions on Wednesday and into Thursday.
Crews were working to repair a previous sinkhole in the area of Exit 34 and New Jersey Route 15 when the newest sinkhole opened up, NJ.com reported. The newest hole is 15 feet long and 15 feet wide and opened in the highway median.
The eastbound lanes of I-80 were already closed dating back to mid-February. Multiple sinkholes and voids were located under the roadway, which was built over several abandoned mine shafts.
Construction crews said they were planning a “crossover,” in which one of the westbound lanes would be converted into an eastbound lane, allowing traffic to flow in both directions. The fate of that plan was unclear Thursday following the newest sinkhole.
Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency over the sinkholes on March 8, meaning federal funds will be used for the repair project. The detour route has sent traffic through Wharton and other North Jersey towns using Route 15 and local roads, leaving residents drowning in traffic.
“It has been sheer chaos. The traffic is just horrific. Everyone’s impatient,” Rockaway resident Nikki Carpenter told WCBS.