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Huge Sinkhole Appears on New Jersey Highway, Prompting Closures and Delays

CultureHuman Interest
By Craig Garrett
December 28, 2024 | 2:14 p.m. CST
huge-sinkhole-appears-on-new-jersey-highway-prompting-closures-and-delays
Image via X / @njfarmerwife

A massive sinkhole emerged on a major New Jersey interstate Thursday morning, forcing the closure of several lanes and redirecting drivers onto local roads to navigate around the gaping void.

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The gargantuan sinkhole, reportedly large enough to engulf multiple cars, opened on the shoulder of Interstate 80 in Wharton around 7:45 a.m., according to NJ.com.

Construction crews crowded the area near Exit 34, working diligently to resolve the unexpected Holiday season challenge.

“Motorists should expect delays or plan an alternate route,” a DOT news release cautioned.

Authorities did not report any injuries, the outlet said. 

Drivers heading into the town of Wharton or continuing toward Pennsylvania faced significant delays and were urged to avoid the highway altogether. Instead, authorities recommended taking nearby Route 15 as an alternate route to bypass the gridlock, according to NBC New York.

Fortunately, traffic on this heavily traveled road is lighter than usual due to the holidays.

The Internet Weighs in on New Jersey’s Massive Sinkhole

The cause of the sinkhole, as well as the reason for its unusual size, remains unknown.

However, that didn’t stop armchair experts on the internet from speculating. A prevailing theory seems to be that an abandoned tunnel was the cause of the massive sinkhole.

“A collapsed abandoned tunnel caused a 40-foot-wide sinkhole, forcing detours and extensive repairs,” one X account declared.

“So often when the ground opens up, particularly on roads, there seems to always be EMPTY SPACE below…” another internet sleuth agreed. “This happens when you spend your time covering things UP,” the original poster added.

“I think a lot of ‘forgotten’ tunnels aren’t forgotten by all…” yet another user ominously chimed in.

Meanwhile, other users didn’t beat around the bush. They believe the hole in the ground was sent from the stars above…

“IT WAS THE DRONES!” one user declared. “The drones blasted a hole in the ground,” another user added, perhaps while adjusting his tinfoil hat.

State officials announced that the detour will remain in effect indefinitely, as it is still unclear how long repairs will take to address the massive sinkhole located roughly 40 miles west of New York City.