Next stage of Route 72 bridge deck replacement
over Route 9 to begin tonight in Stafford Township

All traffic to be placed onto newly built eastbound
bridge as NJDOT shifts work zone onto westbound bridge

Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, January 15, NJDOT's contractor, Lucas Construction Group, is scheduled to fully close Route 72 westbound and shift all live traffic onto the recently rebuilt eastbound structure – via a temporary crossover road. Route 72 eastbound has been reconfigured to carry two eastbound travel lanes and one westbound travel lane, with opposing traffic separated by barrier curb.

NJDOT anticipates this traffic pattern remaining in place for approximately four months while the westbound deck is replaced, at which time Route 72 traffic will be restored to the original configuration with two lanes in each direction.

The temporary crossovers enable the diversion of live traffic off of each bridge as they get reconstructed. Diverting traffic across the median allows NJDOT to accelerate the construction and complete each deck within a shorter time-frame. Each stage of construction will require the closure of select on/off ramps at the interchange with motorists being detoured via the existing ramps through the interchange.

• During this stage of construction the ramp from Route 72 eastbound to Route 9 northbound will be reopened.
• The ramp from Route 9 southbound to Route 72 eastbound will remain closed.

The $3.5 million, federally-funded project is needed to replace the existing structurally-deficient bridge decks that carry Route 72 over Route 9. Initial construction activity began in July with the contractor constructing the temporary, paved crossover lanes in the median of the highway that will be utilized in the upcoming shift. The existing 8-inch thick deck slabs are being replaced with 9-inch thick cast-in-place concrete slabs, resulting in a slight raise in the roadway profile.

NJDOT has designed the bridge deck replacement work to be performed in stages, with at least one travel lane maintained on Route 72 in each direction at all times. The deck replacement work is taking place in the off-season to limit the impacts on Route 72, the only shore/evacuation route to-and-from Long Beach Island. NJDOT anticipates the project reaching completion in late-spring 2014.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.