Interstate 80 East remains closed in parts of Morris County as of Monday night.

That section of the highway was closed in Wharton since 6:45 a.m. due to what was described as a road depression in the highway. This is the same area where a massive sinkhole formed in December.

The state Department of Transportation now says that a new sinkhole has formed while crews were doing boring tests on the highway.

“Road conditions deteriorated, and a sinkhole opened up. Crews are excavating the area and continuing to evaluate the situation to determine the extent of repairs. Crews will work around the clock until the road is repaired and reopened,” officials wrote in a statement.

This spot is the same area as where a 40 x 40-foot sinkhole formed in late December. It was eventually revealed that this portion of the road sits on top of an abandoned iron mine and needs to be filled.

The Monday morning road closure caused a major traffic jam for commuters.

One of those stuck in her car was Mia Onufrak who was trying to get from Roxbury to Rockaway.

“It was standstill traffic,” Onufrak said. “Usually it’s less than a 15-minute commute and it took me over two hours to get to work.”

Along with that bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-80, there had been residual traffic on North Main Street in Wharton. Those already on the road were detoured at Exit 34 for Wharton.

Anyone who gets on I-80 East is urged to get off the highway at Exit 28 and take Route 46 eastbound or Route 10

or

Variable message signs will provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with the work.