Well, this is not what North Jersey drivers wanted to hear.

The state Dot says I-80 eastbound will remain closed for those emergency sinkhole repairs in Morris County for at least another two months.

The work is taking place between exit 34 and the bridge over route 15 in Warren.

It means commuters are going to have to continue dealing with the traffic and delays construction has caused.

The update comes just days after state officials said the work would only take a few weeks to complete, and are coming up with alternatives to the detours that local business owners say are wreaking havoc on their bottom lines and their future.

Ted Goldberg reports.

We need help and we need the help right now.

The regulars at Townsquare Diner in Wharton aren't traveling as much lately because of the traffic.

I can't get out at 4:00.

All the traffic coming from route ten or going from Dover.

It's 15, 20 minutes waiting to get into traffic.

It's never been that way.

Massive highway reconstruction after the discovery of a sinkhole along I-80 eastbound will continue for at least eight more weeks, forcing drivers to overwhelm roads in Wharton.

There's a lot of businesses on the other side of Wharton, and it takes them 25 minutes to get here during a lunch rush because it's just too much traffic on the roads.

So they've just, you know, been staying away from this part of town normally.

How long does that take?

Talking about two, three minutes.

My sister and I said the other day, where is everybody?

It was like 930.

Take Covid away.

This is the worst time we have in 20 years.

Like any good diner waitress, Violetta Force is talkative with guests and conversation lately features complaints about traffic and people's unwillingness to endure it.

I talk to everybody.

I never close my mouth.

He knows my business.

So I talk to everybody.

Everybody just tell me why did they not do it?

I know there's some business in town and down 50, 70%, you know, thankfully, we're not down that much.

But there are businesses are really severely impacted on Main Street and Wharton that really need help.

I just took me 20 minutes to go to the bank and come back here, just going around the corner.

It's a half a mile away.

Jim Hill owns the Knotty Pine pub, a stone's throw up the road from the diner.

He says the extra traffic hasn't wrecked his business yet, but it hasn't been good either.

My Saint Patty's Day was down probably 20% from last year from people that couldn't get here, but it could just be just the economy the way it is too.

But, I'm not hurting.

But there are people that are getting devastated by last week.

The state's Economic Development Authority hosted a meeting in Roxbury to let business owners know about existing funding programs to help them out.

I'm not going to take a 12% loan.

My business is down 60% of programs we discussed were all grants that were tied into payroll and, business loans at 12% interest rate over five years, which really does not benefit us at all.

It is of programs, but we need cash flow right now.

We need some federal help.

State and local.

They don't seem like they do anything about it.

Last Friday, the state's Department of Transportation said roadwork will continue for at least eight more weeks, with a temporary crossover in the works as part of a statement.

They say the goal is to keep tractor trailers on I-80 and alleviate some of the traffic in local communities.

We appreciate the public's patience and understanding as repairs continue and thank our local partners and the new Jersey State Police for their efforts to help manage a challenging situation.

What are some of your initial thoughts?

I need to look for them someplace else because if not, I can survive here.

I'm thinking for safety reasons, to want it to be as long as it takes a year to fix the problem.

But on the other hand, I feel sorry for all these motorists that have to really leave an hour early, an hour and a half, early in the morning.

I know that building a crossover lane, and that's going to take at least 3 to 4 weeks to build.

So if that's getting 3 or 4 weeks to build, where are they building it?

I think it'll be open in two months anyway.

So it's just I don't know.

It's been very frustrating because there's been no answers to us as business owners in town.

I'm hearing what they say at least two months, at least two months means six months to me.

Mine Hill Township is just south of Wharton.

Mayor Sam Morris understands the frustration from his neighbors to the north, but hopes federal money will come in and help rebuild the interstate.

I know with FEMA, we file through the county, county files through the state, the state files to the feds so it doesn't go like municipality to federal.

So I think people just have a little faith, you know, hang in there.

I really hope they resolve everything there.

And I can keep here for many more years, you know?

The sinkhole that hobbled I-80 is from an abandoned mine shaft, one that lay quiet for many years but is now causing quite a commotion.

In Wharton, I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.