I-80 in New Jersey fully reopens following sinkhole repairs
TRENTON, New Jersey (WABC) -- All lanes of Interstate 80 in Wharton, New Jersey reopened Saturday following sinkhole repairs.
The eastbound lanes reopened four days ahead of schedule, ending the nightmare for people living and commuting through Wharton.
Crews did a final paving of the roadway Friday night.
All westbound lanes reopened last Saturday.
The sinkhole opened in the roadway's median back in March. Out of an abundance of caution, officials closed and detoured all lanes on I-80 westbound at Exit 34B/Route 15 northbound.
Though crews aimed to repair and reopen the westbound lanes by the end of the month, they found a problem underneath the roadway. Moreover, a significant void under the left lane of I-80 westbound required all westbound lanes to remain closed and detoured until it was repaired.
At the time, officials said two separate crews - one on the eastbound side and one on the westbound side - would work simultaneously to expedite repairs.
Detours and repairs have impacted traffic and the nearby area since last December, when a 40-foot by 40-foot sinkhole opened and swallowed a portion of the shoulder in the eastbound lanes of I-80.
Repairs have been ongoing since then, but the closures have angered local business owners and caused congestion on detour routes, which frequently paralyze the streets of Wharton and surrounding communities in Morris County.
The formation of the sinkhole was quickly linked to the region's mining heritage, with the collapse of an abandoned mineshaft under I-80 identified as the cause. Additional sinkholes, including the one in March, have popped up since December's collapse.
Police body-camera footage showed the moments after the massive December sinkhole on I-80 opened up. The video footage, which was recorded by a New Jersey State Police trooper and released in response to a request filed by ABC News under New Jersey state law, shows two drivers standing steps from the sinkhole in shock.
ALSO READ: New video shows massive sinkhole moments after opening up on I-80
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