Heading to Pa. for Memorial Day on Route 80? Plan for delays

🚧Route 80 has been closed in both directions at Exit 34 after sink holes opened up

🚧Voids opened up under the road surface because of abandoned mines

🚧NJ DOT checked the integrity of the road to ensure there are no additional sinkholes

The reopening of Route 80 westbound has been delayed again and will impact your Memorial Day travel plans.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation, which earlier announced two westbound lanes would reopen by Friday, May 4, said any reopening will now be delayed until "the end of May."

DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro said the westbound lanes will not reopen before Memorial Day weekend. The delay is because of sonic drilling, which is taking longer than expected.

The Memorial Day weekend, which traditionally begins with a push of traffic on Route 80 headed to the Poconos in Pennsylvania, begins Friday, May 23.

"Sonic drilling creates less vibration and is necessary for installing micropiles near the Route 15 Bridge on I-80 westbound. All piles are expected to be completed next week. Once the micropiles are installed, excavation will begin in preparation for construction of the concrete slabs," Schapiro said in a statement.

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Initial sinkhole on Route 80 east between Exits 34 and 35 in Wharton 12/26/24 (NJ DOT)

Eastbound on schedule

Schapiro said two separate work crews, one in each direction, have been working 'round the clock, including Easter Sunday, to complete repairs.

The good news is that plans to reopen two eastbound lanes are still on track to open "in mid-May."

"Excavation work on the eastbound side is nearing completion, and concrete pours are expected to begin next week," Schapiro said.

State Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Morris, says he understands the frustration that comes with another delay.

“The silver lining is the delay will only push back the reopening of the westbound lanes by a couple weeks and the eastbound lanes remain on schedule to re-open mid-May. The entire highway, in both directions, is still on track to completely reopen by June 25," Bucco told New Jersey 101.5. "I appreciate the NJDOT crews working around the clock, including holidays, to get this critical work done and I will continue pushing for transparency, efficiency, and timely communication until this project is complete and our communities can get fully moving again.”

The eastbound lanes were closed in February when an 11' by 11' hole opened up while crews were conducting soil tests. Another hole developed in March on the eastbound side, leading to a second closure.