NJDOT clarifies Route 35 summer work schedule
(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced an update and clarification on the Route 35 summer work schedule that provides details in addition to those contained in a May 19 press release.
As previously announced, contractors will not be allowed to work on the highway in a manner that restricts travel during the summer.
For the holiday weekend, however, the Department will not be able to restore the normal complement of two Route 35 southbound travel lanes in part of the middle section of the project. Motorists will have a just a single lane available to them instead of the normal two lanes from Curtis Point Drive in Brick to Strickland Boulevard in Toms River. NJDOT makes every effort to restore all travel lanes wherever possible during holiday weekends. However, in some cases, such as this one, construction is at a point where all travel lanes cannot be restored.
Two southbound travel lanes will be available to motorists this weekend from Strickland Boulevard to the southern project limits at Island Beach State Park.
The full complement of travel lanes will be available during the Memorial Day weekend from 6 a.m. Friday, May 23 through noon, Tuesday, May 27, in all sections of the 12.5-mile-long project except for the southbound side of Route 35 from Curtis Point Drive to Strickland Boulevard.
After the holiday weekend, work will continue on the highway for several weeks in most sections of the project before construction activity is restricted for the summer to provide motorists with the normal complement of travel lanes along the entire 12.5-mile project.
Work in part of the middle section of the project, from Curtis Point Drive in Brick to Strickland Boulevard in Toms River will continue on the southbound side of the highway from noon Tuesday, May 27 through Thursday, June 26, leaving just one travel lane for motorists. Work in this section of Route 35 southbound will be suspended Friday, June 27 through noon, Tuesday September 2, providing two travel lanes for motorists.
In the southern half of this middle section, from Strickland Boulevard to 6th Avenue, motorists will have two travel lanes on Route 35 southbound starting this weekend and continuing through the summer. On all other sections of the highway from Brick to Berkeley, construction will be restricted along the highway in a manner that allows for the full complement of travel lanes starting Friday, June 13 through noon Tuesday, September 2.
Mileposts 0-4 in Berkeley, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, and Toms River
In this section, Route 35 is generally a divided highway, providing two travel lanes in each direction from the entrance of Island Beach State Park, extending through Berkeley, Seaside Park, Seaside Heights, and Toms River. This section includes the interchange with Route 37, which has been reconstructed and is expected to be completed next week.
• Work on Route 35 will be suspended at noon on Friday, June 13 and will resume no earlier than noon, September 2
• Work on the side streets will continue throughout the summer
Mileposts 4-9 in Lavallette, Toms River, and Brick
In this section, Route 35 is generally a divided highway, providing two travel lanes in each direction.
• Work on Route 35 northbound in the Lavallette Business District between Brown Avenue and Bond Avenue will be halted by 6 a.m. Friday, May 23 and will resume no earlier than noon, Tuesday, September 2
• Work on Route 35 northbound will be suspended at noon on Friday, June 13 and will resume no earlier than noon, September 2
• Work on Route 35 southbound from Curtis Point Drive to Strickland Boulevard will stop at noon Thursday, June 26 and will resume no earlier than noon, Tuesday, September 2.
• The normal complement of two southbound travel lanes from Strickland Boulevard to 6th Avenue will be available starting this weekend and will continue through the summer.
• Work on the side streets will continue throughout the summer
• New Jersey Natural Gas will be working in the northbound shoulder as it installs new gas lines
Mileposts 9-12.5 in Mantoloking and Bay Head
In this section, Route 35 consists of a single roadway offering just one travel lane in each direction with shoulders. Much of this section has been reconstructed and is complete beginning at Osborne Avenue in Bay Head and heading south.
• Work on Route 35 and all sides streets will be suspended by 6 a.m. Friday, May 23 and will resume no earlier than noon Tuesday, September 2
Project Details
In each section of the project, Route 35 will be completely rebuilt. The new stone-and-asphalt roadway will be two feet thick, providing a more stable road and smoother driving surface. A new storm-water drainage system for Route 35 has been designed to handle 25-year storms and will feature nine pump stations and treatment facilities to filter and purify the storm water prior to discharge into Barnegat Bay.
NJDOT has an accelerated schedule for this project to accomplish a massive amount of work in as short a timeframe as possible to bring the shore back better than ever. The Department is advancing this project in a manner that balances the desire to work expeditiously with the need to accommodate residents, business owners and visitors during busy summer vacation seasons.
NJDOT has a robust community outreach effort that includes a hotline telephone number, 732-230-7356, and email address, restorenj35@mbi-gs.com for residents to pose questions or provide suggestions as work progresses.
NJDOT also has created a project-specific website that provides information on the proposed construction activity. The site will be updated as work advances.
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