Tuckahoe Road bridge over Cape May rail line to be closed for replacement in Estell Manor

(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the replacement of the structurally deficient Tuckahoe Road (CR-557) bridge over the Cape May Branch rail-line in Estell Manor, Atlantic County. The replacement of the Tuckahoe Road bridge demonstrates NJDOT’s commitment to improving the State’s aging bridge infrastructure and increasing public safety.

Monday morning, March 15, NJDOT will fully close Tuckahoe Road to traffic between Route 50 and Cumberland Avenue for the duration of construction, to begin the bridge replacement. Due to the design of the original structure, it is necessary for NJDOT to fully close the bridge to traffic during construction. During the Tuckahoe Road closure traffic will be detoured as follows:

• Tuckahoe Road southbound traffic will take Cumberland Avenue eastbound to Route 50 southbound, back to Tuckahoe Road.

• Tuckahoe Road northbound will take Route 50 northbound to Cumberland Avenue westbound, back to Tuckahoe Road.

The $4.9 million federally-funded project is scheduled for completion in late-fall 2010.

The project will completely replace the structurally deficient Tuckahoe Road Bridge, which accommodates one lane of traffic in each direction, over the historically recognized Cape May Branch rail-line. The new concrete bridge will feature shoulders, two sidewalks and bridge aesthetics to closely match those of the existing structure. The bridge is located within an NJDEP Wildlife Conservation refuge.

Construction information and real-time traffic updates are available at www.511nj.org and by calling 511.