UPDATE: New Route 80 sinkhole expands to road collapse after testing: 'No easy fix'
Bucco visited the site Monday morning with New Jersey Department of Transportation Director Francis O'Connor and Morris County Sheriff James Gannon, where DOT workers were hopeful repairs could be done in time to reopen the busy highway for the morning commute.
Later in the day, "The NJDOT brought soil boring equipment in to verify the structural safety of the road, and unfortunately, the road collapsed when the borings were being taken," Bucco told the Daily Record. "So this is not going to be an easy fix, as they had thought."
The sinkhole is located just to the east of a four-story-deep cavity that collapsed the side of the road in December, closing part of the highway for four days.
Rerouting: Take these detours to avoid the Route 80 traffic caused by sinkhole repairs
Described at first as a "depression," this latest sinkhole was first spotted by State Police at 6:45 a.m. in the middle of the roadway, forcing the closure of all eastbound lanes at Exit 34 in Wharton as crews conducted emergency repairs. Traffic was diverted to local roads, causing significant delays.
"The key thing here is that the DOT did the right thing by continuing to test the structural integrity of the road," Bucco said. "They discovered that this was, in fact, a mine shaft, not just a depression as they had hoped."
He also says more testing needs to be done to assess the potential danger of more sinkholes or road collapses in a region where the mining industry thrived in the 19th century.
"It's kind of scary because these mineshafts run throughout there, and we've got to make sure that where they do open up, they are capped adequately so they can withstand the impact of traffic on those highways," Bucco said. "We have to stay ahead of this before it becomes a bigger problem."
Bucco added they'll have to make sure to avoid major traffic issues from the detours onto other areas. "I told the commissioner they have to find a way to keep that traffic off the local roads," he said.
The highway will remain closed until further notice. Motorists are being detoured at Exit 34, but officials advise using Exit 28 to take Route 46 eastbound or Route 10 eastbound to avoid the affected area.
The department has provided alternative routes, including:
Route 46 east: Drivers can exit at Route 46 eastbound at Exit 28 and follow signs for Route 10 or Route 15 to reconnect with Route 80.
Route 80 east detour: Motorists are directed off at Exit 34 to Route 15, then to North Main Street and back onto Route 15 south before reentering 80 eastbound.
Electronic message signs are alerting drivers to the closure, and officials urge motorists to check 511nj.org for real-time traffic updates. The timeline for repairs remains uncertain, and traffic delays are expected in the area.
Motorists should expect delays in the area and monitor traffic updates.
The sinkhole comes less than two months after a huge sinkhole in Wharton closed part of the highway for days. That sinkhole was roughly the size and depth of a four-story building and kept the highway closed for four days.
It was found to have been caused by the collapse of an abandoned mineshaft, leading to days of delays and detours for motorists.
There are a number of mines in the area, Bucco said. Officials will keep that in mind as they repair the latest sinkhole.
"They'll do some milling to get down to make sure the ground is stable and if everything appears as it is shown on the radar, they should be able to regrout and pave it tonight and open up traffic again," Bucco said.
At the time of the December sinkhole, the Transportation Department said crews worked "around the clock" to complete the repairs as "quickly and safely as possible."
"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."This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Route 80 sinkhole in NJexpands to road collapse after testing
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
An Guide To Awesome Summer Motoring Summer
Summer means sweet freedom and, for drivers, hitting the road to somewhere fun. It also means, especially this summer, excessive heat, traffic, construction zones and the occasional flared temper. Here are some handy tips for summer travelers, plus a few recommended accessories. Parents and daughters spending vacation traveling by automobile and enjoying road trip. Plan ahead If your trip is under 50 miles, you may not even need a map. But for weekend getaways and vacations, you should flesh out a primary route for your destination to avoid road closures, traffic jams and other not-fun developments, and download the maps before you go. Coverage can be iffy in the mountains, for example. Two years ago when I was crossing Arizona in an RV, I had no access at all for two hours. I didn't have a problem not being able to listen to podcasts, but having no map in the middle of nowhere was unsettling. Download offline maps and make a note of fuel gaps in the West and charger deserts if you're electric. Construction season is upon us, too —check state DOT Twitter feeds the morning you leave. Prep your vehicle Whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or having service done professionally, see to your oil, coolant, belts, hoses, air filter and battery health. Flush old brake fluid if it's been more than two years - boiling brakes on a downhill pass is bad news. For trucks towing boats, bikes or otherwise, verify your tow rating, tongue weight (the downward force that a trailer's coupler exerts on the hitch ball of the tow vehicle) and make sure your trailer lights/brakes work. Motorcyclists need to check chain tension and lube, brake pads, cables and that your cooling system is in working order. Tire care Underinflated tires are the #1 cause of highway blowouts, experts say. Set pressures to the door jam (or owner's manual) recommendation for your loaded weight. If you're hauling, move weight forward of the rear axle and strap it down thoroughly. Motorcyclists should know their gross vehicle weight rating and remember, luggage counts as weight. Inspect tires for age cracks and set pressures while the engine's cold. Load your vehicle, then recheck tire pressure. Get in the habit of checking your vehicle/two-wheeler the same as you get in the habit of making sure the oven's off, or the lights. What excessive heat can do Engines overheat, people dehydrate and tires blow when asphalt gets hot. Carry more water than you think you need. Park in shade when you can and consider buying a windshield sunshade - they really work. For bikers - wear mesh or ventilated gear. And when the heat is searing, take breaks for water every couple of hours before you get thirsty. Consider carrying tools, spares, and quick fixes. A small compact compressor, a plug kit (or tubes + irons if you ride off-road), duct tape, zip ties and spare fuses are good to keep in the trunk. A paper map should live in the glovebox in the event tech fails. Don't forget a proper first-aid kit. Manage road fatigue when it's boiling hot All of us are slower and sloppier after eight hours in the saddle or seat. Make sure to swap drivers before fatigue sets in. Stretch or walk around a little at fuel stops or do jumping jacks if you're so inclined, and no one's videoing. Sometimes a 10 or 20-minute nap does more than a cup of coffee. If you're nodding, get off the road. Visibility and etiquette Make sure your daytime running lights are on. Signal early, naturally, merge cleanly and don't tailgate, especially in back of someone towing 7,000 pounds up a grade. Truckers and motorcyclists live by hand waves and lane courtesies—join the culture. Enjoy the journey as well as the destination. The point isn't to white‑knuckle it from A to B like you're on a work deadline. Hit the two‑lane scenic alternate. Eat pie from roadside stands. Buy your Mom a jar of preserves. Write and send a to take with you LA CANADA, CA - JUNE 21: Motorcyclists speed past roadside flowers as a heavy wildflower ... More bloom(Photo by) Nikon Z5 II Kit $2496.95 Nikon Z II The Z5 II kit is incredibly easy to use, loaded with with modern features (fast AF, IBIS, clean 4K, slow‑mo video), and widely respected as a good value by photographers who know their gear—and it's not a typical 'grandpa Nikon." Button layouts are intuitive, the grip is solid, controls are customizable, and an articulating touchscreen makes shooting in odd angles ok. It's also not a huge hunk of camera, but not so small that it feels like a toy. Mission Workshop Meridan Landspeeder Modular Backpack $395 Meridian Backpack Made in Los Angeles, the Meridan Landspeeder Modular Backpack was designed as a versatile solution for both daily carry and travel - even long travel. You could throw this thing out a high window or otherwise bang it around and it won't fall apart. Blending advanced materials with intelligent organization, it includes padded shoulder straps, a breathable back panel and a luggage handle pass-through for streamlined airport navigation. You can also choose the Solo pack and build your own mixing and matching accessories and colors. CROSSRAY eXtreme BBQ $849 CROSSRAY eXtreme Portable Electric Barbecue Here's a portable electric grill that's solid, if pricey. The CROSSRAY eXtreme Electric BBQ uses dual 1100W carbon-fibre infrared elements (2200W total) to deliver over 300°C cooking performance, rivaling or surpassing most gas grills. It includes a digital programmable display, meat probe and a high hood with a warming rack for versatile cooking, from grilling to slow roasting. Fully portable, though heavy, it can be used on a tabletop or as part of a trolley or outdoor kitchen setup. Optional features like a rotisserie kit expand its functionality while maintaining a sustainable, electric-powered design.
Axios
3 days ago
- Axios
How to use GeauxPass in Louisiana
After at least a dozen delays, the new Belle Chasse Bridge is open. Why it matters: For the first time, many drivers are running into the state's roadway toll system known as GeauxPass. The big picture: GeauxPass, which doesn't require drivers to stop, is the Louisiana Department of Transportation's solution to long toll lines that can clog highway traffic. It's in use along the 19-mile LA 1 expressway that connects Golden Meadow with the coast, and on the Belle Chasse Bridge that spans Highway 23 across the Intracoastal Waterway. How it works: You don't need to have a GeauxPass account set up before using those roadways. The system snaps a picture of your license plate and follows up with you later at your home address, kind of like when you get a camera ticket for speeding or blowing a red light. Yes, but: If you get that letter, then your bill will have an extra fee attached for the invoice. For a recent drive across the Belle Chasse bridge, the $2.64 fee was more than the $2.26 toll. Be smart: You can avoid that fee by setting up a GeauxPass account in advance. It's a fairly quick process online, though it does require an initial $30 account deposit. If you don't foresee driving through a GeauxPass location all that frequently, make sure you don't authorize it for auto-replenishment, which will mean regular deposits. Instead, the system will simply deduct the toll when you use the bridge, a DOT spokesman says.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Ruptured gas line creates traffic headache on Black Horse Pike in Washington Township, New Jersey
A ruptured gas line has created a traffic headache on Black Horse Pike in Washington Township, New Jersey, on Wednesday. As of 4 p.m., only one southbound lane on Black Horse Pike is open after an 8-inch gas line ruptured near Whitman Drive, Gloucester County Office of Emergency Management said. Officials said drivers should expect major delays in the area, and that the work could last into the evening hours. Other roads, including Route 42 Northbound, may also need to be closed at times during repairs, according to officials. Gloucester County hazmat crews, fire departments, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and other departments have responded to the scene. This is a developing story and will be updated.
