Officials Say Parkway Sinkhole Should be Fixed by Evening Rush Hour

They first started out calling it a 'pothole,' but after it knocked off 18 vehicles in short order, the hole in the Garden State Parkway pavement on the south side of the Parkway in Woodbridge was more readily described as a sinkhole.

It was four feet in diameter, said Lieut. Stephen Jones, spokesman for the New Jersey State Police.

"It's definitely bigger than a pothole," Jones said.

It all started around 6:15 am this morning. Motorists on their way to work were peacefully passing on the Parkway in the southbound lane near the Driscoll Bridge.

Suddenly the hole appeared near milemarker 127.8 and one after another, the vehicles were disabled with flat tires and bent rims. All were lined up on the side of the Parkway, awaiting help.

"A few of them needed to be towed," Jones said. "We're fortunate there was no greater damage or any injuries."

Emergency repair workers were immediately dispatched to fix the hole by this evening's commute. Jones estimated the hole would be fixed before 4 pm.

"We'll have it back and running and permanently filled in very soon," Jones said.

TELL US: Did you see the morning's enormous sinkhole? Did you take a picture of it? Post it here on Patch, or email me at deborah.bell@patch.com