WHARTON, N.J. (PIX11) -- Welcome news for drivers who rely on Interstate 80 in New Jersey, two westbound lanes of the highway reopened on Friday night after parts of it closed for emergency sinkhole repairs in March.
Repair crews have been and are continuing to work 24 hours a day to get the I-80 back up and running again however state officials say its been a pricey project, costing around $150,000 per day.
To call this a headache for drivers would be an understatement, with some saying it has turned commuting into a nightmare.
People have been stuck in traffic for hours getting to and from work since the I-80 was closed for repairs nearly two months ago.
Small businesses in the area have also had it rough with many owners telling PIX11 News that the severely reduced traffic hurt their bottom lines worse than the COVID pandemic.
The Small Business Administration has recently announced $2 million in relief funds for those impacted, but there is still a way to go before the I-80 is 100% back up and running.
All lanes are set to be fully reopened on June 25 but until then, the speed limit has been reduced to 40 or 45 miles per hour in the construction zone. The state's Department of Transportation has also set up a section of their website dedicated to tracking repairs and updates.
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