I-80 westbound lanes in Wharton, New Jersey reopen ahead of schedule amid sinkhole repairs
WHARTON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Some relief for drivers in New Jersey: the westbound lanes on Interstate 80 have reopened on Saturday, months after several sinkholes opened up and snarled local traffic.
According to the New Jersey Department of Transportation, all lanes on I-80 reopened by 9 a.m., making it 11 days ahead of schedule.
On Friday, the NJDOT announced that lanes on I-80 westbound would fully close for final paving and striping in preparation of the weekend reopening. Motorists on I-80 westbound in the meantime were directed to take Exit 34B to Route 15 north/Jefferson/Sparta.
Meanwhile, NJDOT officials say all three lanes on I-80 eastbound are scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, June 25.
Sinkholes have plagued I-80 in Morris County, New Jersey in recent months.
Most recently, a 15-foot by 15-foot sinkhole opened up in the roadway's meridian in March. Out of an abundance of caution, officials closed and detoured all lanes on I-80 westbound at Exit 34B/Route 15 northbound.
Though crews aimed to repair and reopen the westbound lanes by the end of the month, they found a problem underneath the roadway. Moreover, a significant void under the left lane of I-80 westbound required all westbound lanes to remain closed and detoured until it was repaired.
At the time, officials said two separate crews would work simultaneously, one of eastbound side and one of the westbound side, to expedite repairs.
Detours and repairs have impacted traffic and the nearby area since last December, when a 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole opened and swallowed a portion of the shoulder in the eastbound lanes of I-80.
Repairs have been ongoing since then, but the closures have angered local business owners and caused congestion on detour routes that frequently paralyzes the streets of Wharton along with surrounding communities in Morris County.
The formation of the sinkhole was quickly linked to the region's mining heritage, with the collapse of an abandoned mineshaft under I-80 identified as the cause. Additional sinkholes have popped up in the time since December's collapse, including the one in March.
New police body-camera footage showed the moments after the massive December sinkhole on I-80 opened up. The video footage, which was recorded by a New Jersey State Police trooper and released in response to a request filed by ABC News under New Jersey state law, shows two drivers standing steps from the sinkhole in shock.
ALSO READ: New video shows massive sinkhole moments after opening up on I-80
You can find the latest updates on the roadway and sinkhole repairs on I-80 on the NJ Department of Transportation website.
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