Less than a week after the New Jersey Department of Transportation gave an eight-week timeline for the remaining reconstruction of I-80 near Wharton, the discovery of an additional sinkhole has potentially rendered that estimate obsolete.
“It’s just kind of scary that this is going on,” said Wharton resident Julianna Cole. “We’re not really sure how long it’s going to go on for.”
The Transportation Department, which found the new sinkhole on Wednesday, said in a statement it’s “in the process of evaluating the situation.” The hole, which measures 15 feet by 15 feet, opened in the median and forced the closure of the westbound lanes of I-80.
I-80 eastbound had been closed since Feb. 10 after a sinkhole and an underground void were discovered. Commuters, truckers and other drivers have been detoured through local roads in Wharton.
Yazan Muheisen, whose family owns Pop’s Bagel Shop in Wharton, says business is down 25 to 30% since the reconstruction began.
“It’s been horrible,” said Muheisen. “We definitely miss [our regulars]. We haven’t seen them in a long time. They all live on the other side of town. And with all this traffic, it really has been a pain to get through here.”
Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency on Saturday, the first step toward getting federal funds to help rebuild I-80 and potentially reimburse local businesses for loss of revenue. Wharton Mayor William Chegwidden says he’s asked for the Federal Emergency Management to intervene and help those businesses, as well.
