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Route 80 sinkholes are new development for NJ highway: See history
Once called the Bergen-Passaic-Delaware Expressway, original plans date back to 1936 to relieve congestion on Route 46.
Applications are slated to open in just over a day for a $5 million pot of relief money meant to help businesses slammed by traffic from the Interstate 80 sinkhole mess.
But advocates and local officials from Hopatcong, a town along the western shore of Lake Hopatcong, argue that, while their businesses have been affected by the diverted traffic, they are not being allowed to apply for the state aid.
That’s because Lake Hopatcong, although within five miles of the sinkhole, sits in Sussex County. And only businesses in Morris County qualify for the aid.
Chris Flores, a representative for the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, the agency overseeing the program, declined to comment.
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Gov. Phil Murphy issued a state emergency declaration which paved the way for the state to pool together the business relief. In order for Lake Hopatcong businesses to qualify for the relief, he would have to amend his order to include all or parts of Sussex County.
Tyler Jones, a spokesperson for Murphy’s office, declined to say whether the governor would amend the emergency order.
“Our office is considering all options to build on this support to ensure these businesses receive the critical funding they need to counter the decline in sales and revenue,” Jones said in an email Friday.
Wharton businesses face brunt of traffic diversions
Businesses in downtown Wharton say that in recent weeks they have faced the brunt of traffic being redirected onto local roads from the Route 80 sinkhole closure.
Due to the traffic, residents and shoppers said they’ve avoided downtown Wharton, as well as nearby big box stores and the Rockaway Townsquare mall.
But the traffic has also snarled the roadways around Lake Hopatcong, according to business owners.
For example, Cambiotti’s Tomato Pie Cafe at the south end of Lake Hopatcong has seen less business during lunch hour thanks to traffic from the sinkhole, said the owner, Dave Cambiotti.
Traffic rerouted onto Route 15
Worsening things for local residents and businesses, traffic is being rerouted onto Route 15, a major artery for Sussex County, said Tammie Horsfield, president of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, a local business association.
“Certainly Morris County’s been severely impacted, but it doesn’t mean that businesses surrounding them aren’t feeling the effects as well,” she said in a phone interview.
Three state elected officials representing Lake Hopatcong — Sen. Parker Space, Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia and Assemblyman Michael Inganamort — wrote a letter to Murphy last week asking that he expand his emergency declaration.
“It is fair to say that the negative effects of the closures do not recognize county boundaries as a line of economic impact,” the three said in the joint letter, dated April 14.
Space told NorthJersey.com the impact is clear. “It’s just a nightmare,” he said. “A lot of people are avoiding coming in this direction.”
How the state aid works
Grants will first be available to businesses within 5 miles of the sinkholes, followed by those businesses 5.01 miles to 10 miles, and finally those more than 10 miles away, provided they are based in Morris County.
There should at least be enough funding for businesses within 5 miles of the sinkhole to access funding, but beyond that the program might be “oversubscribed,” Bruce Ciallella, the NJEDA’s chief operations and compliance officer, said during an April 9 board meeting.
There is an initial $5 million for the grant program, plus the potential for an additional $15 million in county, state and federal funds.
The maximum grant sizes are:
- Up to five full-time equivalent employees: $5,000
- Between six and 20 full-time equivalent employees: $10,000
- Between 21 and 50 full-time equivalent employees: $15,000
In the EDA grant application, the number of full-time equivalent employees is “based on weeks worked and wages compared to the state’s minimum wage” in a business’s filings with the state Labor Department, according to board documents.
Federal loans also available
Businesses affected by the sinkholes can apply for federal low-interest loans of up to $2 million from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The SBA is operating a “Business Recovery Center” at the Wharton Municipal Building at 10 Robert St. from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.
For the federal disaster relief loans, businesses can apply by calling 1-800-659-2955 or visiting sba.gov/disaster. The loan application deadline is Jan. 2, 2026.
If you’re an impacted business interested in sharing your experience in applying for and obtaining government relief, reach out to NorthJersey.com Business Reporter Daniel Munoz at 201-270-9870 or munozd@northjersey.com.
Daniel Munoz covers business, consumer affairs, labor and the economy for NorthJersey.com and The Record.
Email: munozd@northjersey.com; Twitter:@danielmunoz100 and Facebook
