Home Care In Wharton, NJ

A busy New Jersey highway was shut down in both directions after another sinkhole opened up Wednesday afternoon, a problem that has plagued the roadway in recent months.

It was not immediately clear when exactly the sinkhole developed, but it caused traffic to be backed up for miles along the highway running through Wharton, in Morris County, footage from Chopper 4 showed.

The crater appeared to open up immediately along one side of the road, in what appeared to be the median of the highway. A spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Transportation said the 15-foot by 15-foot hole opened during a drilling operation. All lanes were closed and detoured out of an abundance of caution, the DOT spokesperson said.

The highway had been closed for repairs. On Monday, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced that the eastbound lanes of the roadway were going to remain closed for at least another two months in order to complete repairs.

According to findings from an initial New Jersey DOT study, a "significant" void sits underneath the eastbound lanes of I-80 near Exit 34.

"If I can assure folks, it’s that — it’s because we want to get the job done right and safely," Morris County Assemblywoman Aura Dunn said about the extended highway closure.

Dunn said part of the problem stemmed from the sheer number of voids that had been found under I-80. It was first thought there were about 90 voids, but crews have since found about twice as many, likely caused from old mines in the area.

"It’s been 24/7 with DOT crews working around the clock to fill these holes. I hate to use the analogy, and many have: We kind of have a system of Swiss cheese, and we gotta plug those holes," said Dunn.

As of Monday, six weeks of work had been completed, and the DOT had hoped to reopen one lane of eastbound traffic on the westbound side of the highway in order to offset growing traffic jams. But Wednesday's development likely put a pause on those crossover plans.

Emergency repairs will continue between Exit 34 and the bridge over Route 15 in Wharton. The right lane on I-80 westbound was set to be closed Wednesday night in order to remove rumble strips in the shoulder, but two lanes would have remained opened overnight. It was not clear whether the rumble strip removal that was scheduled was connected in any way to the new sinkhole opening.

It was not known when either side of the roadway would reopen. All traffic was being diverted to Route 15 north, according to Jefferson Township Mayor Eric Wilsusen.

A massive sinkhole the size of a four-story building appeared in the same area in December as a result of an abandoned mineshaft. It took four days to fix.

There are no immediate concerns about the stability of I-80 westbound.

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TRANSPORTATION

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NorthJersey.com

Interstate 80 east in Wharton will remain closed for another two months as work to repair damages from the sinkhole continues, the New Jersey Transportation Department announced Friday.

However, there is a plan to create a "crossover" lane to help alleviate some detours and delays on the highway.

The emergency repairs between Exit 34 and the bridge over Route 15 in Wharton have been split into six phases, said the department. The repairing of the actual sinkhole has not yet started.

The department said it has completed the first phase, "geotechnical tests," which were done to assess the condition of the roadway base. These tests helped the department identify about 150 locations to drill and grout.

The drilling and grouting on the road will be the next step in repairs, expected to last about four weeks, the department said. The construction is meant to stabilize the area under the roadway, where a "significant void" was found.

In the locations that need to be repaired, 135 have been drilled and 114 have been filled with grout. While 75% of the locations have been drilled and grouted, the remaining locations are "closer to the area of greatest concern" and therefore will require more time to be completed.

The repairing of the sinkhole will take place once drilling and grouting on the highway are finished, the Transportation Department said.

The design of the repairs will be similar to what was used to fix a sinkhole in December 2024, which also occurred on Route 80 in Wharton.

The procedure will include "excavating the area, installing a base of large stone with a wire mesh on top. More stone and a concrete layer will go over the wire mesh. Additional fill and soil will be placed on top of the concrete and compacted before several layers of asphalt will be applied to reconstruct the road," the department said.

While repairs happen, a monitoring system will be installed to track surface and underground conditions. The system will include remote sensing technology on poles that will scan the pavement for changes, sensors beneath the road that will detect early signs of subsurface movement, and deeper underground devices to monitor long-term soil stability.

Quality assurance testing, milling and paving will also be a part of the repair process.

The state is also looking to the federal government for help to fund the sinkhole repairs. The emergency declaration laid out my Gov. Phil Murphy was a step toward applying for emergency federal funding from the Federal Highway Administration.

Crossover lane on Route 80

Along with the update on repairs, the Transportation Department said there is a plan for a "crossover lane," which would "shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound," reducing westbound traffic to two lanes.

The design for the crossover lane is still being finalized, the department said.

The hope is that this crossover lane will ensure that tractor-trailers and other large commercial vehicles will not have to take the detour and alternative routes, which will remain in place, and instead continue onto I-80.

Once the crossover design is complete, construction will last about two weeks, the department said.

Local officials were informed about the plan for a crossover lane and how it may affect their towns in Morris County.

Alternative routes

Many of the same alternative routes and detours remain in place as construction continues on the highway. The department press release listed some of the available detours in place.

I-80 eastbound Exit 34 detour:

Route 10 eastbound alternate route:

The Transportation Department advises to "use Exit 28 to take Route 10 eastbound or Route 46 eastbound as an alternate route to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure."

Route 46 eastbound alternate route:

A newly formed sinkhole on Route 80 in Wharton has prompted road closures, detours and growing concerns over the stability of the site, leaving state officials scrambling to determine the next steps.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation confirmed the appearance of the 15-by-15-foot sinkhole Wednesday night, posting on X that the hole had opened in the median of the I-80 eastbound work zone. As a precaution, officials shut down I-80 westbound at Exit 34B, directing traffic onto Route 15 north.

“Crews worked overnight to stabilize the area of the sinkhole in the median that opened up yesterday,” NJDOT said in a statement Thursday morning. “NJDOT is in the process of evaluating the situation to determine what needs to be done to reopen I-80 westbound as safely and quickly as possible.”

As of Thursday, the westbound lanes of I-80 remained closed, with no immediate timeline for reopening. The agency has urged motorists to avoid the area and seek alternate routes.

The mayor of Jefferson Township, Eric Wilsusen, said in a Facebook post that the closure of both east and westbound lanes is a "disaster" for the entire North Jersey area.

Assemblyman Mike Inganamort (R-24) said the impact of the new sinkhole will be "massive" and requires a federal response. Meanwhile, Assembly Bill 4865 would establish a temporary sales tax exemption for small businesses impacted by highway construction.

"Among other state-level interventions, Assembly Bill 4865 would exempt small businesses in the construction zone from the state sales tax," Inganamort said in a Facebook post. "It’s not a long-term solution, but a short-term boost while we continue to press the state and federal agencies to repair this massive infrastructure failure."

The sinkhole’s sudden appearance has raised questions about the site’s structural integrity and whether additional work will be required to prevent further collapses.

The latest closure leaves commuters in a serious bind. I-80 serves as a key corridor for travel between Pennsylvania and New York, and extended disruptions could create significant traffic challenges.

NJDOT said it will continue to assess the situation, but for now, the sinkhole remains a hazard, with no clear resolution in sight.

Push for more mass transit

State senator Anthony Bucco sent a letter to Gov. Phil Murphy on Thursday asking additional "mass transit options" as the detours put "significant burden on local municipalities as new and increased traffic congestion impacts residents and businesses."

Bucco is asking for the state to increase park-and-ride availability and increase NJ Transit busses by the Route 80 closures.

"Coordinating with local mayors and municipal officials will be crucial in identifying the most effective routes and solutions to reduce the volume of vehicles on detour roads," Bucco wrote. "By working together, we can mitigate congestion and improve mobility for commuters while repairs are underway."

Staff writer John Connolly contributed to this article.

The owner of a Morris County apartment building built over an abandoned mine — and located near three I-80 sinkholes — is telling residents their building is safe after some raised questions about cracks in ceilings and walls.

AvalonBay Communities, owner of the Avalon Wharton apartments in Wharton, said two engineering firms inspected the 250-unit complex in recent days and found no evidence of damage attributable to sinkholes.

“We understand the genuine fear and stress some of you have experienced as result of the I-80 sinkholes, and we appreciate the feedback you’ve provided. We take your concerns very seriously and are pleased to share not only the results of these inspections but also our ongoing commitment to your experience as Avalon Wharton residents,” AvalonBay said in the email sent Wednesday evening to residents, which was provided to NJ Advance Media.

The building remains safe to occupy without restrictions, the company said.

MORE: New sinkhole opens up on I-80, sparking more delays

Officials in Wharton previously asked the company to retain an engineer for a closer look at the building. The borough’s construction official did not uncover any sinkhole-related damage during a four-hour inspection March 6 undertaken at the direction of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs.

“They are doing a lot of construction over there with jackhammers and drills that are going underground hundreds of feet from this building, and my concern is the vibrations from all of that construction could be affecting the structure of this building,” resident Anthony Colonna, told CBS News New York.

All westbound I-80 lanes near the Route 15 interchange in Wharton were closed Wednesday after a hole opened during drilling operations along the highway median, the state Department of Transportation said. Work crews at that time were repairing a sinkhole on the eastbound side.

The location is near where sinkholes opened up on Dec. 27 and Feb. 10. All three I-80 sinkholes were attributed by authorities to collapsing mine shafts.

MORE: Nearly 600 abandoned mines are hidden beneath N.J. towns. See the map.

At the Avalon Wharton apartment complex, reports from Bowman Consulting Group and Veitas Engineers noted cracks, gaps, bumps and wearing. But the engineers found that all were consistent with the expected loading settlement, shrinkage and general wear of the building.

None of the cracks appeared to have recently developed, AvalonBay said.

The company said it will retain a geotechnical engineer, at the recommendation of Veitas Engineers, to review the site conditions as they were at the time of construction in the early 2010s. That engineer will compare the new survey data to the original conditions and establish an ongoing monitoring plan.

“This will help us track any potential signs of future settlement or vibration effects, particularly given the nearby construction on Route 80, to ensure your continued safety and peace of mind,” the company wrote to residents.

Wharton Mayor William Chegwidden previously told NJ Advance Media that he had no concerns about the safety of the building’s 250 residential units.

“I wouldn’t let anyone stay there if I thought the building was going to collapse,” Chegwidden said, prior to the findings by the engineers.

There are approximately 588 abandoned mines beneath the surface in nine northern counties, primarily in a band across northwestern New Jersey that includes Wharton.

Avalon Wharton was built in the early 2010s atop a 120-foot-deep mine shaft closed since 1886, Chegwidden said. For that reason, the location required mine shaft remediation, which took place prior to placing any concrete footings for the structure.

The remediation work was approved by multiple engineers and received a compliance letter from the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development Office of Safety Compliance in April 2013, according to the borough.

AvalonBay said the inspection reports will be available for viewing by residents in the leasing office. The reports will be submitted to Wharton’s construction department and the state Department of Community Affairs.

“We also acknowledge that the construction on I-80 is expected to continue for several weeks, which may cause additional inconveniences. We are in close touch with town and state officials and will keep you updated on future developments,” the company said.

AvalonBay Communities is based in Virginia and is among the nation’s largest owners of apartments, with 93,518 units in New Jersey, 11 other states and Washington, D.C.

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Rob Jennings may be reached at [email protected].

The Route 80 traffic nightmare worsens as a new sinkhole opened up on Interstate 80 Westbound Wednesday evening, now shutting it down in both directions.

The eastbound stretch of I-80 through Wharton, New Jersey has been closed since Feb. 10 for repairs after a depression in the road way gave way to an 11-foot by 11-foot sinkhole. The new 15-foot by 15-foot hole opened up in the center median during a drilling operation, according to officials.

Both these sinkholes are part of a series, following a previous December 40-foot by 40-foot hole that opened just 75 feet away from the February incident. Officials blamed abandoned mineshafts that collapsed.

As of Thursday morning, New Jersey Department of Transportation announced that "all lanes remain closed and detoured at Exit 34 northbound in Wharton due to emergency construction."

According to news officials, repairs on the existing sinkholes were expected to have lasted another two months, albeit the timeline is now subject to change and unclear as NJDOT continues to evaluate the new situation.

The closure impacts a major artery for commuters in the tri-state area as well as truckers through the state of New Jersey, an east-west transcontinental freeway that crosses the country from the Garden State, through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada and California.

What causes sinkholes?

Sinkholes form when underground rock dissolves due to water, creating voids and cavities and then the surface sinks or collapses into them. They can result from seasonal changes such as freeze and thaw of the ground or extremes in precipitation like drought and heavy rain.

Sinkholes are all about water causing disturbances of the soil.

In the case of the I-80 sinkholes, officials are blaming mineshafts that have collapsed, but attributing them to water nonetheless.

"What really causes these sinkholes to open up after such a long amount of time is water," College of New Jersey civil engineering professor Andrew Bechtel said in news reports. "Water probably caused the first sinkhole to collapse. When they filled it, they changed how water moved under I-80. And now they're probably developing a new one in a different place. So the realistic problem is to figure out where all these old mines go, and then fill and cap them and then rebuild the road on top."

After the February sinkhole collapse and investigation, NJDOT said they "identified 90 locations to be assessed and mitigate potential instability or possible voids."

Maria Francis is a Pennsylvania-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.