NJDOT opens bidding process for Route 52 Causeway replacement

Project will be funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

( Trenton ) -Commissioner Stephen Dilts today announced that the New Jersey Department of Transportation will advertise a contract for the final phase of construction on the Route 52 Causeway replacement project in Somers Point, Atlantic County and Ocean City, Cape May County. The bridge replacement is a critical transportation project in southern New Jersey that will be partially funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

“Advertising the final contract of the Route 52 Causeway replacement is a significant step in the process of putting New Jersey residents to work and improving our transportation assets through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act,” said Governor Jon S. Corzine.

On Thursday, March 26, NJDOT will advertise the Route 52 Causeway replacement Contract B, which will replace the two remaining lift bridges at each end of the causeway, eliminate the Somers Point Circle and improve MacArthur Boulevard in Somers Point. Approximately $70 million in ARRA funds will be dedicated to this project.

NJDOT plans to begin construction of this phase of the project this summer and to complete the entire project by 2012. NJDOT planned the project in a manner that minimally impacts traffic. No detours are planned during construction, and two lanes will remain open to traffic in each direction on Route 52 during the summer months.

The initial, $183 million phase of construction began in October 2006 and includes the replacement of 1.2 miles of the interior portion of the 73-year-old Route 52 causeway from Elbow Island to Garrett’s Island. In April 2008, NJDOT opened to traffic the new northbound bridge, which is located east of the existing causeway. The old causeway has been demolished and the new southbound roadway will be completed in spring 2009.

The ARRA will stimulate New Jersey's economy by creating or supporting thousands of transportation-related jobs and making long-term improvements to roads, bridges and the transit system. New Jersey’s transportation allocation includes $652 million for highways and bridges and approximately $425 million for transit. That total includes approximately $162 million for county and local transportation priorities and approximately $19.5 million for transportation enhancement projects.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s (NJDOT) $469 million in ARRA funding will address the needs of aging bridges by replacing movable bridges, rehabilitating bridge decks and beams, and other bridge maintenance. In addition, NJDOT will use federal stimulus funding to reconstruct and resurface highways and improve drainage systems and highway safety. NJDOT plans to obligate all of this funding in the next 120 days and to complete most of its stimulus-funded work within one year.

A complete list of NJDOT projects (pdf 59k) selected for ARRA funding is available.

A complete list of NJ TRANSIT projects (pdf 57k) selected for ARRA funding is available.

For additional information on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, visit the following sites:
NJ Recovery and Reinvestment Plan

For information on contracts, visit the NJDOT contract advertisement, web site.