Route 37 Sinkhole Work To Continue Through The Night In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Repairs were continuing Monday evening on a collapsed stormwater pipe under Route 37 in Toms River, where a sinkhole disrupted traffic all day, authorities said.

The sinkhole was reported about 5 a.m. Monday, Toms River police said. There were no reports of damaged vehicles or injuries as a result of the sinkhole, police said.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation has been handling the repair on the sinkhole, which forced the shutdown of two lanes westbound on Route 37, along with closing the intersection at Oak Ridge Parkway and Lakehurst Road to cross-traffic.

Crews anticipated having the work completed before 5 a.m. on Tuesday, an NJDOT spokesman said. Updates will be posted on the NJDOT's social media accounts, the spokesman said.

The cause of the sinkhole was not clear but the stormwater pipe was damaged and a section of it has to be replaced, officials said. The work has been complicated by natural gas lines that cross through the area of the sinkhole, requiring extra care while removing the broken pipe and installing the new section.