WHARTON, N.J. – The eastbound lanes ofInterstate 80 (I-80) in Wharton, Morris County,will remain closed for approximatelytwo more monthsas emergency repairs continue following severe roadway damage, theNew Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT)announced.
As part of the ongoing repairs,NJDOT is finalizing a crossover designthat willshift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound, reducing westbound traffic totwo lanes. This shift aims to keeplarge commercial vehicles and tractor-trailerson the highway andoff local roads, where detours remain in effect. Once the design is completed, the crossover is expected to taketwo weeks to construct.
“The drilling and grouting work is outlining the area that will require a more extensive repair. We expect to measure progress not by how many locations are drilled and grouted each day, but by how many days each location will take to be drilled and grouted,”NJDOT Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. “This phase of the repair is expected to take another four weeks, with the entire repair likely to take about two months. We are finalizing a design to build a crossover to shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound. The goal is to keep tractor trailers on I-80 and alleviate some of the traffic in local communities.”
Therepair process consists of multiple phases, though the precise timeline remains uncertain. However,NJDOT expects the entire repair effort to take about two months.
Governor Phil Murphy’sEmergency Declaration on March 8was a critical step in securingfederal emergency fundingfrom theFederal Highway Administration (FHWA). NJDOT is preparing a funding request detailing:
If approved,federal funds will help cover the cost of the highway repairs.
NJDOT iscoordinating with local officials and New Jersey State Policeto manage traffic flow and minimize delays along theofficial detour routes on Route 15, Route 10, and Route 46. Efforts include:
Drivers arestrongly advised to avoid the area, allow extra travel time, and remain patientwhile repairs are underway.
Forreal-time travel updates, visitwww.511nj.org.