UPDATED: Route 80 West to be closed tonight

Route 80 westbound is scheduled to be closed Friday night, Feb. 14 at Exit 34B for testing of the road as emergency sinkhole repairs continue on the eastbound side in Wharton, Morris County.

The Route 80 eastbound detour at Exit 34 remains in place.

The highway was closed about 6:45 a.m. Monday, Feb. 10 “out of an abundance of caution” because of a depression in the center lane, state Department of Transportation said that morning.

While crews were conducting boring tests on the road Monday evening, “road conditions deteriorated, and a sinkhole opened up,” the agency said.

DOT crews excavated and stabilized the 11-foot by 11-foot sinkhole that was about four feet deep Tuesday night, Feb. 11.

That part of the road is 75 feet from the sinkhole repair completed in December. The area where that sinkhole was repaired is stable, the agency said.

Late Monday, the DOT said Route 80 eastbound will remain closed indefinitely.

Beginning at 11 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, Route 80 westbound is scheduled to be closed. If work is completed early, the highway westbound will reopen sooner.

The following detours will be in place Friday night:

Route 80 westbound detour

• Drivers will be directed to take Exit 34B to Route 15 north/Jefferson/Sparta.

• Keep left on Route 15 northbound.

• Use the left two left lanes at Pondview Drive to make a U-turn onto Route 15 southbound.

• Stay right to take the ramp to Route 80 westbound.

Route 80 eastbound Exit 34 detour on Friday night

• Drivers on Route 80 eastbound will be directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta.

• Turn left following signs for Wharton.

• Turn left onto East Dewey Avenue/CR 642 eastbound.

• Turn left onto Route 15 Northbound.

• Stay right to take the ramp to Route 80 eastbound.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, the DOT said it is continuing to coordinate with local communities to minimize the impact of the detoured traffic. “We ask motorists to avoid the area and be patient while repairs are being made.”

Crews will continue to work 24 hours a day; the schedule for reopening the road has not been determined, the agency said.

Alternate routes

Drivers may use Exit 28 to take Route 46 eastbound or Route 10 eastbound to avoid the area. This exit is several miles before the closure.

Here are an alternate route on Route 46 eastbound:

• Drivers on Route 80 eastbound should take Exit 28/Route 46 eastbound to Route 10/Ledgewood/Lake Hopatcong, which is several miles before the closure.

• Continue on Route 46 eastbound.

• Stay in the left two lanes to turn left at the traffic signal to continue on Route 46 eastbound.

• Turn left onto Route 15 northbound in Dover back to Route 80 or continue on Route 46 eastbound for about 12 miles and stay left for Route 80 eastbound.

Route 80 eastbound detour:

• Drivers on Route 80 eastbound are being directed to take Exit 34 to Route 15/Wharton/Dover/Sparta.

• Stay right following signs for Route 15/Jefferson/Dover/Sparta.

• Stay in the left lane on North Main Street to Route 15 southbound/To I-80/Dover.

• Merge onto Route 15 southbound.

• Stay left to take the exit to Route 80 eastbound.