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The final westbound lane of Interstate 80 in Wharton is set to reopen this weekend, ahead of schedule, after being closed due to sinkhole repairs. New Jersey transportation officials announced that the lane will reopen on Saturday (June 14), 11 days earlier than initially planned, if weather conditions allow.
Crews will close one of the two currently open westbound lanes overnight from Monday to Wednesday, starting at 10 p.m., to remove construction barriers and repave the left lane and part of the median. On Friday night, all westbound lanes will be closed for final paving and line painting, with a full reopening scheduled for Saturday. The entire highway is expected to be fully operational by June 25, according to NJ.com.
The closure of I-80 has affected drivers since March, when a sinkhole opened on the median next to the westbound lanes. The eastbound lanes, closed since February, reopened on May 21. Despite the reopening, drivers should expect work zone speed restrictions of 45 mph on the westbound lanes and 40 mph on the eastbound lanes, as there is still active construction on one eastbound lane and the shoulder.
News 12 New Jersey reports that travelers can check delay times and detours on the Route 80 traffic page on 511.org.