This Is My New Jersey

If you live in Morris County or travel Rt. 80 in Morris County on a regular basis, you have been plagued with sinkhole issues since December thanks to the historical mining that took place in the area since the founding of our country.

It all started shortly after Christmas when a sinkhole was identified on Rt. 80 east in Wharton. NJDOT crew members worked around the clock to get the road reopened. All was well… or so we though.

The Sinkhole: Part Two

Not long after the first repair was done, another sinkhole was identified. Then another. And another. Rt. 80 east was closed yet again.

Since then, all traffic going eastbound has been routed onto local roads. Individuals who are not familiar with their new route are blocking up streets that were never made for this level of traffic, let along the constant line of 18-wheelers. As a result, police are now stationed at just about every major intersection to adjust traffic light timing in an effort to keep things moving. We were told the closure would continue for two more months.

Last week local officials met with small business owners facing fewer customers after just starting to crawl out of the hole COVID left them in; pardon the pun. While state officials listened patiently and with empathy, very little is available to them. Meanwhile people who live along the detour can’t get out of their own driveways.

The Sinkhole: The Return

Just when you thought it was safe to get on Rt. 80, like a bad sequel that just won’t go away, another sinkhole opened up under the feet. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But, now Rt. 80 in Wharton is closed in both directions.

How long will this last? No one knows and honestly, I don’t think anyone would believe the officials if they did give an estimate.

So what can we all do? Stick with me.

We all need to dig down for just a little more patience. I know, I know. The commute is awful. We are spending more time in our cars away from what we really want to do. We are getting up far too early and getting home far too late.

First, I highly recommend joining the Rt. 80 Rant group on Facebook. Not only does it help us all get real-time traffic reports, we all get to enjoy our special form of Jersey snark and humor.

Next, check out 511NJ. This is a great website that provides you with traffic alerts from one end of the state to the other. If you want to follow alerts for a specific major roadway, they have a variety of accounts on X for additional information.

Speaking of X, you can also track the latest info for NJ Transit, just in case you decide to give the train or bus a try in an effort to avoid driving yourself crazy. Again, pardon the pun.

At the end of the day, the best we can do is pack our patience when trying to maneuver along this dreaded stretch of Rt. 80. Pick up a few audio books. Try learning a new language. Use the time as best you can. And don’t forget to stop in and grab a cup of coffee on your way to work. Support local businesses when you can.

May the force be with you.