Route 18 over Route 1 traffic closures
for weekend four in New Brunswick
as bridge reconstruction continues

A series of lane and ramp closures
will take place over several months

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced lane and ramp closures this weekend on Route 18 and Route 1 to demolish and reconstruct the Route 18 over Route 1 Bridge in New Brunswick, Middlesex County for the next seven consecutive weekends.  

Motorists are advised to expect delays and may want to plan alternate routes.

Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, Friday, June 19, until 5 a.m. Monday, June 22, NJDOT’s contractor Anselmi & DeCicco will close one lane of Route 18 southbound and two lanes of Route 18 northbound to initiate a new traffic pattern.

Two lanes of traffic will be maintained in each direction on Route 18 throughout the weekend except during periods of brief stoppages (approximately 15 minutes) during demolition and erection of the bridge and during nighttime hours (see below for details). Route 18 northbound traffic will be split: one lane will remain on the northbound side and one lane will use the southbound side via a temporary crossover. During nighttime hours, one lane of traffic shall be maintained for Route 18 northbound and two lanes for Route 18 southbound.

Two lanes of Route 1 northbound and the auxiliary lane shall be closed beginning at 10 p.m. tonight, Friday, June 19 through 10 a.m. Saturday, June 20 and again from 11 p.m. Saturday, June 20 through 11 a.m. Sunday. One lane of Route 1 northbound will be maintained at all times.

Throughout the next several months, there will be additional lane and ramp closures, as well as traffic patterns shifts, at the Route 18 and Route 1 interchange. The Department will announce any closures before they are implemented.

The scheduled closures and detours for this weekend are as follows:

Closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday:

• Route 18 southbound left lane
• Ramp from Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound

Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound Detour:
Motorists traveling on Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound during work hours will be advised to continue south, past the Route 18 interchange and detour to the Ryders Lane interchange. 

Closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday: 

• Route 18 northbound right and center lanes
• Ramp from Route 1 northbound to Route 18 northbound 

Route 1 northbound to Route 18 northbound Detour:
Motorists traveling from Route 1 northbound to Route 18 northbound will be detoured to the Woodbridge Avenue interchange.

Closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, and from 10 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday:

• Route 18 northbound left lane
• Ramp from Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound

Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound Detour:
Motorists traveling from Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound and Route 1 northbound will be detoured to the Woodbridge Avenue interchange.

Closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, and from 11 pm Saturday to 11 am Sunday:

• Route 1 northbound left lane

Closed from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, and from 11:30 pm Saturday to 8 am Sunday:

• Route 1 northbound center and auxiliary lanes

The $30 million bridge replacement project is utilizing accelerated bridge construction techniques to minimize impact to motorists. This involves the use of rapidly deployed moveable construction barrier curb and prefabricated bridge deck. The project is expected to be completed by June 2016.

Portable variable message signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work. 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.