Single-lane closures on LBI Causeway beginning next week will remain until spring

To allow for the start of the demolition and reconstruction of the north side of the east and west thorofare bridges on the $350 million Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project, Schiavone Construction Co. crew members will begin to shift traffic to the south side of the bridges next week.

The new traffic pattern will include a single lane in each direction between the two thorofare bridges. The new configuration will remain until the spring.

Photo by Ryan Morrill
The entire project is expected to be
completed by 2020.

The north sidewalk on both thorofare bridges will be temporarily closed during the construction. The New Jersey Department of Transportation will coordinate a shuttle service with the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association for pedestrians.

“A temporary bus shuttle service will accommodate pedestrians so there is no loss of travel capacity on Route 72 with this new configuration,” said Steve Schapiro, DOT communications director.

Work on the Route 72 bridges project began in 2013 and is expected to continue through 2020. The 3-mile-long causeway, which links Stafford Township on the mainland with Ship Bottom on LBI, is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete after 53 years in existence, Schapiro noted.

When the new span is finished in 2016, the existing Bay Bridge will be closed to traffic for rehabilitation. It will serve as the bridge for westbound traffic once completed.

“The project is constructing a new bridge parallel to the existing one over Manahawkin Bay, providing the safety of a redundant route on or off the Island in the event that one of the bridges needs to be closed,” Schapiro said. “This design is consistent with Christie administration objectives to build in strength or redundancy to better withstand future storms. The existing Causeway sustained relatively minor damage during Superstorm Sandy, but storm damage is a concern, especially because it provides the only way for motor vehicles to enter or exit Long Beach Island.

“The new bridge will be 2,400 feet long with a vertical clearance of 55 feet over Manahawkin Bay. Ultimately, it will function as the bridge for eastbound traffic once the project is completed,” he added. “This sequence was designed to preserve the current two travel lanes in each direction during busy summer seasons from mid-May to mid-September during daytime hours and weekends. The contractor is allowed single-lane closures overnight and during the off-season, but one lane will always be maintained in each direction.”

The exact timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.

For more information about the project, visit nj.gov/transportation. Construction updates and real-time travel information can be found at 511nj.org.

— Kelley Anne Essinger


This article was published in The SandPaper.