Overnight Lane Closures on Route 15 Southbound for I-80 Bridge Repairs in Wharton

Priority repairs to the I-80 Bridges over Route 15 will require nightly closures through Friday, with work expected to conclude this week, weather permitting.

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ - Motorists traveling through Wharton should prepare for overnight lane closures on Route 15 southbound this week as the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) continues urgent repairs to the I-80 Bridges over Route 15.

Starting tonight, Monday, April 28, the left lane of Route 15 southbound will close at 10 p.m. and reopen by 5 a.m. the following morning. These overnight closures will occur nightly through Friday, May 2. During the closures, one lane will remain open to maintain traffic flow. The repairs involve fixing bridge joints and addressing concrete spalling before the I-80 Bridges over Route 15.

In addition to the southbound work, ongoing repairs that began on April 16 on Route 15 northbound will continue this week. Although traffic has been shifted northbound before the bridges, all northbound lanes will remain open. NJDOT advises motorists to use caution and reduce speed when traveling through the work zone.

Officials emphasized that the I-80 Bridges over Route 15 remain structurally safe. The current repairs are addressing deterioration of the concrete cover on the bridge piers, which is attributed to natural aging rather than the ongoing I-80 sinkhole repairs nearby. Conducting these repairs now aims to prevent future closures on I-80.

NJDOT has established an I-80 project web page to provide updates on repair progress, detour information, and alternate travel routes. Additionally, a new I-80 travel time page is available on 511NJ.org, offering real-time travel data for detour and alternate routes.

Work schedules are subject to change based on weather and other factors. Motorists are encouraged to consult NJDOT’s traffic information site for the latest construction updates and travel advisories.