Yet another sinkhole has opened under a highway in Morris County, causing headaches for travelers and adding to headaches for crews trying to shore up some of New Jersey’s busiest roadways.
The new sinkhole opened Friday evening on I-287, along the left shoulder of the northbound lanes near exit 41B. Crews worked around the clock over the weekend to get two lanes open for Monday morning’s commute.
State transportation officials say the hole was caused by a collapsed drainage pipe and isn’t connected to the abandoned mineshafts that have opened along Route 80, effectively crippling traffic there.
The shoulder will remain closed on I-287 while crews make more permanent repairs; it’s unclear how long that will take.
Meanwhile, on Saturday U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy toured I-80 in Wharton with Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-7 th). A trio of sinkholes has opened along the busy highway in that area since December, in places where long-abandoned mines have collapsed underground.
Murphy said the goal is to reopen the westbound lanes of I-80 within the week but work on the eastbound side will continue for another roughly two months.
New Jersey Transit on Monday started offering a 50% discount on round-trip travel for people affected by the ongoing work. The discount will apply to travelers from Hackettstown, Mount Olive, Netcong, Lake Hopatcong and Mount Arlington stations, and will be in effect until I-80 is repaired.
