A GIANT sinkhole has wreaked havoc on a major highway, shutting down a crucial stretch of an interstate for months.
The 15-foot-wide crater opened up in the median of the busy road on Wednesday, forcing authorities to close the westbound lanes.
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It’s the latest blow to Interstate 80 commuters already dealing with extensive closures on the eastbound side due to road repairs.
The highway disruption happened near Wharton, New Jersey, about an hour west of Newark.
The eastbound lanes were already shut down due to similar sinkhole problems that started last December.
That closure is expected to drag on for another two months while road stability repairs continue.
New Jersey’s Department of Transportation closed the westbound side “out of an abundance of caution” to prevent further damage.
Despite recent rainfall across the region, experts say the state is currently under moderate drought conditions, leaving many to wonder about the unusual cause of this latest sinkhole.
Sinkholes usually form after heavy rainfall, but the US Drought Monitor reports moderate drought conditions in the state.
The problem is believed to stem from old mine tunnels beneath the highway.
Fox Weather reports that these abandoned tunnels could be contributing to the instability, with the recurring sinkhole issues forcing commuters to find alternative routes on one of New Jersey’s busiest highways.
“It’s so bad, traffic is bumper-to-bumper right outside my house,” said Sharon Bock, a resident of Jefferson Township told CBS News.
“My grandchildren can’t even catch the school bus, and they’re late every day. It’s just unbearable.”
This sinkhole is the latest in a series affecting I-80 between Exit 34 and the Route 15 bridge since December.
The incidents have been attributed to the collapse of abandoned mineshafts in the area.
The sinkhole that formed on Wednesday occurred in a section already undergoing repairs, with construction crews and equipment present at the site.
Officials indicated that work to address the ongoing issues with sinkholes and voids beneath the road was set to continue for at least two more months, though it’s uncertain whether the new sinkhole will impact that timeline.
Governor Phil Murphy had earlier declared a state of emergency to facilitate access to federal funding for the repairs.
“It’s not really our problem. It’s a federal road, a state road. But that being said, we have to deal with all the aftermath that comes around here, and that’s what we’ve been doing,” Wharton Mayor William Chegwidden said.
RESIDENTS CONCERNED
“I am concerned, and I definitely want to know more info because there’s a lot of people that live in here,” said Alexandra Lawler, whose apartment complex is located next to the I-80 sinkhole, during an interview with CBS News.
Local residents, like Jim Hill, the owner of a nearby pub, are familiar with the abandoned mine shafts in the area.
“There are mineshafts all over this whole area. This was called the Iron Mountain region at one time,” Hill told CBS News.
He explained that older residents recall an extensive underground network of tunnels.
“The older guys in the neighborhood told me years ago that you could walk underground all the way out to Roxbury Township, all the way to Lake Hopatcong. There was a whole mining world here and those shafts are still underneath here.”
“We have mineshafts in town all the time. The American Legion sunk down there in the mineshafts, and this is another one that we know of,” Terry Stalteo, another local resident added.
The Avalon Wharton Apartments, built on top of one of these abandoned mine shafts, are located close to the sinkhole.
Tenants have expressed concerns as cracks are appearing in both the walls and the parking garage.
The mayor of Wharton confirmed that an abandoned mineshaft from the late 1800s runs under the Avalon Wharton complex.
He also stated that 15 years ago, crews took significant measures to secure the foundation by digging 120 feet below the first level.
In a report from CBS News New York, an internal and external inspection on March 7 found no signs of movement at the apartment complex.
However, the Wharton Construction Department has recommended further inspections by a licensed engineer.
AvalonBay, the management company for the Avalon Wharton Apartments, is currently awaiting the results from third-party engineers.
