🚧🚨 NJDOT Update: I-80 Westbound to be Closed Friday Night

I-80 westbound to be closed Friday night for testing as emergency repairs continue in Wharton, Morris County

I-80 eastbound remains closed until further notice

(Trenton) – I-80 westbound is scheduled to be closed Friday night at Exit 34B for roadway testing as emergency sinkhole repairs continue on I-80 eastbound in Wharton, Morris County. The I-80 eastbound detour at Exit 34 remains in place, but will be modified on Friday night to minimize potential conflicts with traffic using the I-80 westbound detour. 

Beginning at 11 p.m. tomorrow, Friday, February 14 until 5 a.m. Saturday, February 15, I-80 westbound is scheduled to be closed and detoured at Exit 34B in Wharton. The closure is necessary for roadway testing. If work is completed early, I-80 westbound will reopen sooner. The following detours will be in place Friday night:

I-80 westbound Detour:

• Motorists on I-80 westbound will be directed to take Exit 34B to Route 15 north/Jefferson/Sparta

• Keep left on Route 15 northbound

• Use the left two left lanes at Pondview Drive to make a U-turn onto Route 15 southbound

• Stay right to take the ramp to I-80 westbound

I-80 eastbound Exit 34 Detour – Friday night:

• Motorists on I-80 eastbound will be directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta

• Turn left following signs for Wharton

• Turn left onto East Dewey Avenue/CR 642 eastbound 

• Turn left onto Route 15 Northbound 

• Stay right to take the ramp to I-80 eastbound

I-80 eastbound was closed and detoured at Exit 34 in Wharton, Morris County on Monday, February 10 after a depression in the center lane was observed. While NJDOT crews were conducting boring tests a sinkhole opened up on Monday night. NJDOT crews excavated and stabilized the 11-foot by 11-foot sinkhole that was approximately four-feet deep on Tuesday night. Roadway testing is ongoing to determine the extent of repairs necessary. The compromised roadway is 75 feet away from the sinkhole repair completed in December. The area where that sinkhole was repaired is stable. 

NJDOT is continuing to coordinate with local communities to minimize the impact of the detoured traffic on neighboring communities as best as possible. We ask motorists to avoid the area and be patient while repairs are being made. Crews will continue to work 24-hours-a-day to complete repairs as safely and efficiently as possible. The schedule for reopening the roadway has not yet been determined.

I-80 eastbound will remain closed until further notice. Motorists should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes.

All I-80 eastbound traffic is currently being detoured at Exit 34. However, traffic is advised to use Exit 28 to take Route 46 eastbound or Route 10 eastbound to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure. The following detours remain in place:

Route 46 eastbound Alternate Route:

• Motorists on I-80 eastbound are advised to take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong, which is several miles before the closure

• Continue on Route 46 eastbound

• Stay in the left two lanes to turn left at the traffic signal to continue on Route 46 eastbound

• Turn left onto Route 15 northbound in Dover back to I-80

or

• Continue on Route 46 eastbound for about 12 miles and stay left for I-80 eastbound

Route 10 eastbound Alternate Route:

• Motorists on I-80 eastbound are advised to take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong, which is several miles before the closure

• Continue on Route 46 eastbound

• Stay right to take Route 10 eastbound

• Take the exit to I-287 northbound

• Stay right to take the ramp to I-80 eastbound

I-80 eastbound Detour:

• Motorists on I-80 eastbound are being directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta

• Stay right following signs for Route 15/Jefferson/Dover/Sparta

• Stay in the left lane on North Main Street to Route 15 southbound/To I-80/Dover

• Merge onto Route 15 southbound

• Stay left to take the exit to I-80 eastbound

Variable Message Signs will provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. 

Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information. For NJDOT news follow us on X (Twitter) @NewJerseyDOT, on the NJDOT Facebook page, or Instagram @NewJersey.DOT.