A portion of Route 35
to be closed temporarily in Berkeley

Drainage installation and roadway
reconstruction will require a detour

On Monday, December 8, NJDOT’s contractor, Union Paving and Construction, is scheduled to temporarily close a quarter-mile stretch of Route 35 in both directions from 14th Avenue to 20th Avenue in Berkeley. This portion of Route 35 is a single lane in each direction. A temporary detour will be in place until the spring.

Detour Routes

• Southbound motorists will be directed around the closure by turning right onto 14th Avenue then left onto Barnegat Avenue then left onto 20th Avenue and then right to return to Route 35 South.

• Northbound motorists will turn left onto 20th Avenue then right onto Barnegat Avenue then right onto 14th Avenue and left to return to Route 35 North.

• Motorists destined for locations within the closure on the east side of Route 35 will turn right onto 14th Avenue then left onto Barnegat Avenue then left onto 20th Avenue and then left onto Ocean Avenue.

• Residents whose property is located on the west side of Route 35 will be directed to use 15th Avenue, which will be opened to two-way traffic. Normally, 15th Avenue is one-way westbound. Only local traffic will be permitted on 15th Avenue.  Thru traffic must use the detour routes listed above. 

Variable message signs will be used to notify motorists of all traffic pattern changes. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.  Motorists are encouraged to check www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.

Project Details

Route 35, which is the backbone of the Barnegat Peninsula, was severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy and is being completely rebuilt.  The $265 million project is divided into three geographic sections and began during the summer of 2013.

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.

The Department 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.