Rt. 80 East exit to Rt. 15 north closing for a weekend in Oct.
WHARTON — The exit from eastbound Route 80 to Route 15 North will close for an entire weekend after a sinkhole developed atop an abandoned iron mine, the state Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.
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Work likely will begin at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16 and conclude by 5 a.m. the following Monday, DOT spokesman Tim Greeley said today, emphasizing that the construction date hasn't been finalized.
Signs on Route 80 have read that the exit would close Oct. 9, but Greeley said officials later ruled out using that weekend due to the Columbus Day holiday.
Greeley said the sinkhole, currently blocked off, is on the ramp leading from Route 80 East to North Main Street in Wharton, which motorists use en route to Route 15 North.
Greeley said the project will cost just over $1 million and involve a 20 feet by 200 feet work zone.
The total cost of the project was not immediately available.
Sinkholes due to old mines have been an ongoing issue in and around the Rockaway Township area.
Greeley said construction was being scheduled to avoid prime commuting hours. The exit from Route 80 to Route 15 North, in particular, is heavily utilized by workers heading to Picatinny Arsenal in Rockaway Township, one of the largest workplaces in Morris County.
Rob Jennings (973) 428-6667;
robjennings@gannett.com
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