By Jackie Roman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
UPDATE: I-80 eastbound reopened following the completion of emergency sinkhole repairs, the state Department of Transportation announced around 8 a.m. Monday.
Four days after a giant sinkhole took out the right lane of Interstate 80 in Morris County, resulting in massive traffic jams and winding detours, the heavily-traveled route is reopened.
The 40-foot-by-40-foot crater on the highway in Wharton was repaired and reopened to traffic around 8 a.m. Monday, the state Department of Transportation said. Officials previously said the reopening depended on whether the rainy weather delayed repairs.
Repair crews worked around the clock through the weekend to stabilize and repair the sinkhole despite wet weather, officials said. Aerial photos taken Friday showed the sinkhole filled and the road surface milled down to soil in preparation for repaving.
“I want to commend the outstanding efforts of the NJDOT and contractor crews that worked tirelessly to get Interstate 80 reopened quickly and safely for the motoring public,” state Transportation Commissioner Fran O’Connor said. “Given the extensive nature of the damage, it is truly remarkable the amount of work that was done in such a short amount of time.”
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