WHARTON, N.J. (1010 WINS) – A stretch of Interstate 80 eastbound in New Jersey reopened Monday following days of work to repair damage from a monster sinkhole that swallowed the roadway.
All lanes of traffic were flowing again near Exit 34 in Wharton by 8:30 a.m. Monday—four days after the sinkhole opened and devoured the shoulder and right lane of the highway.
The reopening comes after crews worked “around the clock” over the weekend to repair, pave, stripe and install guardrails along the roadway.
“NJDOT crews have worked around the clock through the holiday weekend despite inclement weather to stabilize and repair the sinkhole,” the state Department of Transportation said in an update Sunday.
The 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole was caused by the collapse of an abandoned mineshaft, officials said last week. No one was injured in the collapse, but the incident led to days of backups and detours for drivers.
According to officials, the repairs involved excavating and stabilizing the sinkhole, as well as installing a wire mesh, stone aggregate, and concrete layer that was topped with additional fill and compacted before several layers of asphalt were put down to reconstruct the road. The slope was also reconstructed.