Route 1 southbound to be closed
overnight this weekend as work
on Route 18 over Route 1 continues

This is the ninth weekend requiring closures and detours

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced Route 1 southbound will be closed overnight this weekend, as well as several lanes and ramps as the replacement of the Route 18 Bridge over Route 1 in New Brunswick, Middlesex County advances.  

Motorists are advised to expect delays and should plan alternate routes or modes if possible.

Route 1 closures
Route 1 southbound will be completely closed from 12:01 a.m. until 8 a.m. Saturday, August 8, and on Sunday, August 9 from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m.  

During the full closure, traffic will be detoured onto Route 18 northbound to Route 27 to Route 18 southbound and to Route 1 southbound.

This is the third and final weekend in which Route 1 southbound will be closed to allow the Route 18 Bridge over the southbound lanes of Route 1 to be demolished and reconstructed.

Route 18 closures
In addition to the closures on Route 1, beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, August 7, until 5 a.m. Monday, August 10, NJDOT’s contractor Anselmi & DeCicco will close two lanes of Route 18 southbound and one lane of Route 18 northbound to initiate a temporary traffic pattern.
Route 18 northbound will maintain two lanes, and one Route 18 northbound lane will be switched to carry traffic in the southbound direction. 

At least 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 southbound traffic will be split before Paulus Boulevard into two lanes. All traffic for the NJ Turnpike needs to stay in the left lane.

Overnight from 11:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, and Sunday from 11:30 p.m. to 8 a.m. a single lane of Route 18 southbound will be closed.

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

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

Route 1 southbound Full Roadway Closure Detour:
Route 1 southbound will be closed from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday, and from 12:01 a.m. to 8 a.m. Sunday.

• Motorists traveling on Route 1 southbound will be directed to Route 18 northbound
• Traffic wishing to continue to Route 1 southbound or Route 18 southbound must stay right and use Route 18 service road for access to Route 27 south
• Take the exit for Route 27 south and take the first exit to Johnson Drive
• Take the first exit to Route 18 southbound to Route 1 southbound
• Traffic wishing to continue to Route 1 southbound must stay right. Route 18 southbound through traffic must stay left and use the Route 18 median crossover.

Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound Detour:
The ramp from Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound and the Route 18 southbound right lanes will be closed from 8 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

• Motorists traveling on Route 1 southbound to Route 18 southbound will be directed to continue south and exit at the Ryders Lane interchange to Route 1 northbound to Route 18 southbound. 
• When Route 1 southbound is closed completely, motorists will need to use the detour outlined above utilizing Route 18 northbound and the U-Turn at Route 27.

Route 18 southbound to Route 1 northbound Detour:
The ramp from Route 18 southbound to Route 1 northbound and the Route 18 southbound left lane will be closed from 11:30 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday, and from 11:30 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.

• Motorists traveling from Route 18 southbound to Route 1 northbound will be detoured to Route 1 southbound to the Ryders Lane Interchange to Route 1 northbound.

Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound Detour:
The Route 18 northbound ramp to Route 1 southbound will be closed from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday, and 10 p.m. Saturday to 11 a.m. Sunday.

• Motorists traveling from Route 18 northbound to Route 1 southbound will be detoured to Route 1 northbound to the Woodbridge Avenue Interchange to Route 1 southbound.

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 and overhead 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.