I-80 westbound repairs delayed, but full eastbound and westbound reopening still on track for June 25

WHARTON BOROUGH, NJ (Morris County) – The permanent, long-term repair of I-80 is progressing; however, work to reopen two westbound lanes in Wharton Borough, is taking longer than anticipated. Despite the delay, all lanes in both directions remain on schedule to reopen by June 25.

I-80 Westbound

Under the original schedule, two westbound lanes were expected to reopen by May 4. That timeline has been extended, with the new target set for the end of May. The delay is due to sonic drilling taking longer than expected.

Sonic drilling, which produces less vibration, is required for the installation of micropiles near the Route 15 Bridge. All micropile work is expected to be completed by next week. Once that is finished, excavation will begin in preparation for the construction of new concrete slabs.

I-80 Eastbound

Work on the eastbound side is progressing on schedule, with two lanes expected to reopen by mid-May. Excavation on the eastbound side is nearly complete, and concrete pours are expected to begin next week.

Two separate construction crews are working simultaneously—one on the westbound side and one on the eastbound side—to expedite repairs. Crews worked through Easter and continue operating 24 hours a day until the project is completed and the highway is fully reopened. NJDOT is continuing to explore all options to recover time on both sides of the highway.

To keep the public informed, NJDOT has launched a dedicated I-80 project webpage with updates on repair progress, detour routes, and alternate travel options. In addition, a new I-80 travel time page has been added to www.511NJ.org, offering current travel times on detour and alternate routes.

Motorists are encouraged to visit www.511NJ.org for real-time travel information and construction updates.