I-80 eastbound is expected to remain closed for approximately two more months as emergency repairs continue because of a sinkhole between Exit 34 and the Bridge over Route 15 in Wharton, Morris County.

Drilling and grouting operations, which are stabilizing the roadway and outlining the area that will require more extensive repairs, are expected to take approximately four more weeks to complete.

In addition, the department is finalizing a design to build a crossover to shift one lane of I-80 eastbound traffic onto I-80 westbound, which would reduce westbound traffic to two lanes.

The goal is to keep tractor trailers and other large commercial vehicles on I-80 and remove them from the detour and alternate routes, which will remain in place.

Once the crossover design is finalized, it will take approximately two 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. “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.

The remaining locations are expected to take more time than the locations that have been completed because they are closer to the area of greatest concern, and the work must be done more carefully. This type of operation requires a high degree of precision and measurements. To do so safely, the contractor is proceeding with extreme caution in the affected area.

I-80 eastbound traffic is being detoured at Exit 34. The following detour remains in place:

I-80 eastbound Exit 34 Detour:

Motorists on I-80 eastbound are being directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta

At the end of the ramp, stay right following signs for Route 15/Jefferson/Dover/Sparta/Picatinny Arsenal

Stay in the right lane on North Main Street following signs for Route 15 North/Jefferson/Sparta

Bear right toward Route 15 northbound/Picatinny Arsenal

At the traffic signal, merge onto Route 15 northbound

Stay left, following signs for Pondview Drive/U and Left Turns

Using both lanes, make a U-turn at the Pondview Drive traffic signal and merge onto Route 15 southbound

Stay left to take the exit to I-80 eastbound

Traffic is advised to use Exit 28 to take Route 10 eastbound or Route 46 eastbound as an alternate route to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure: