Fuel spill on Rt. 80 cleared; 'minimal impact' to Delaware River

Sep 03, 2023

A Thursday morning tractor trailer accident east of Exit 2 in Hardwick Township, Warren County, resulted in a fuel spill and stopped traffic on Interstate 80.

"Approximately 150 gallons of diesel fuel was spilled in the crash that occurred this morning on I-80 eastbound. The spill was contained and cleaned up," the New Jersey Department of Transportation said Thursday afternoon.

According to Tom Nigro, a hazmat responder with the Warren County Health Department, there was "minimal impact" to the Delaware River consisting of "less than a couple gallons" of fuel.

Responders used absorbent materials on the roadway and around the storm drains, Nigro said, and climbed down to the outfall to put out more materials.

The absorbent booms and pads will be left out. "We're hoping to get one good washout of rain," he said, and the materials will catch any remaining fuel. "Then we'll go pick them up and that way we know that the area is cleaned up."

The trucking company will be responsible for hiring someone to clean up any fuel absorbed into the soil, he said. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has been notified.

As of about 2:45 p.m., one eastbound lane had reopened, and all had reopened as of 4:30 p.m., NJDOT said.

Earlier on Thursday, the crash had traffic from Pennsylvania stopped at the state line.

'A devastating feeling':Route 611 closure impacts life in Delaware Water Gap, Portland

The closure on I-80 meant the borough was getting "inundated with a bunch of traffic" from drivers who expected to use Route 611 as an alternate route but were finding it closed, Delaware Water Gap Mayor Larry Freshcorn said Thursday morning. A stretch of 611 has been closed since Dec. 6, 2022, when heavy rain caused a rock slide, and will remain closed until the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has removed additional rocks and secured the rock face.

Business owners have relayed to Freshcorn that tractor trailers were "struggling to turn around" at the closure.

Freshcorn said the Delaware Water Gap Fire Department was standing by Thursday in case it was needed on I-80, and he was looking for a police officer to help with the traffic issue in the borough.

"Hopefully at some point they can at least get one lane open (on I-80) and start to work this traffic through," he said.

"It's going to be a tough summer, I think," Freshcorn said, adding that accidents on I-80 typically involve speeding in the S-curves, and then traffic detours to Route 611, where the closure will lead to "a real mess this summer."