Transportation Secretary Duffy tours NJ sinkhole disaster

🚧 Route 80 east and west are still closed in Wharton with sinkholes

🚧 NJ Transit will offer discounted fares to help commuters

🚧 Meanwhile, a new sinkhole on Route 287 North

NJ Transit will offer discounted tickets to help commuters affected by the catastrophic sinkhole closures on Route 80.

The discounts were announced after U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy toured Route 80 in Wharton.

He was joined by Gov. Phil Murphy, U.S. Rep. Tom Kean, R-N.J. 7th District and state Transportation Commissioner Fran O'Connor.

Beginning Monday, riders on NJ Transit's Montclair Boonton line boarding from the Hackettstown, Mount Olive, Netcong, Lake Hopatcong, and Mount Arlington will not need to purchase a fare when boarding.

Customers at these stations should inform the train crew if they are transferring at Newark Broad Street Station or Summit Station to continue their trip to Penn Station New York. They will receive a transfer ticket to present to the crew on the connecting train.

For the return trip, customers will only need to purchase a one-way ticket back to one of these five stations, providing a full 50% discount on roundtrip travel.

“We encourage those impacted by the I-80 repair work to take advantage of this offer,” NJ Transit President & CEO Kris Kolluri said in a statement. “We are pleased to offer NJ Transit rail service as an alternative, allowing commuters to avoid delays, reducing congestion by taking cars off the road, and giving riders an opportunity to enjoy a more productive or relaxing trip—leaving the driving to us.”

ALSO READ: NJ officials have no idea when Route 80 will reopen

Murphy optimistic about westbound reopening

Murphy told reporters he expects some westbound lanes to reopen within a week if tests on the integrity of the highway show it is safe. But it could be another 6-8 weeks for the eastbound lanes. Murphy said the repairs are costing $150,000 per day.

“I-80 is a critical artery that impacts not just the local community but the entire region,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “USDOT has brought in national experts in geotechnical engineering to help NJDOT identify the problem and safely reopen this road. I want to thank Governor Murphy, Congressman Kean, NJDOT, and local leaders for their partnership, and I look forward to our continued collaboration.”

Drivers got some good news regarding a sinkhole on the shoulder of Route 287 north between Routes 46 and 80 in Parsippany which opened up Friday afternoon.  NJ DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro told New Jersey 101.5 that a collapsed drainpipe was to blame and that repairs should be complete by Monday morning.

The bad news is that three of the five lanes will be closed all weekend.

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