A section of Interstate 80 in New Jersey was shut down on Thursday morning after a sinkhole suddenly opened up on the shoulder of the eastbound lanes. Sinkholes, which are typically associated with heavy rainfall, were not the culprit in this case near Wharton, New Jersey. Instead, the sinkhole was a result of the collapse of an abandoned mine beneath the highway, as reported by The Associated Press.
Crews wasted no time in responding to the situation, arriving at the scene on Friday to begin stabilizing the area and initiating efforts to restore access to the closed highway stretch. However, as of now, there is no anticipated timeline for the reopening of the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80.
To manage traffic flow in the affected area, motorists have been redirected onto a temporary detour while repairs are being carried out to rectify the damage caused by the sinkhole. The impending arrival of a rainstorm is expected to bring further wet weather conditions to the region over the weekend and into the following week, potentially complicating the ongoing efforts to reopen the highway.
