Route 72 Thorofare Bridges
to undergo traffic shift next week

Traffic will be shifted to permit resurfacing of bridge decks

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced a traffic shift on the two thorofare bridges that connect Bonnet Island to Cedar Bonnet Island and Long Beach Island as the Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project advances. 

Beginning Monday, November 28, NJDOT's contractor, Schiavone Construction Co., will shift traffic from the north sides of the two Thorofare bridges to the south sides, maintaining a single lane in each direction through the work zone. The single lane in each direction configuration will be in place until spring 2017.

The shift will permit the resurfacing of the north-side bridge decks. The single lane pattern in each direction will start just west of the West Thorofare Bridge and conclude just east of the East Thorofare Bridge on Long Beach Island.

Work on the $350 million Route 72/Manahawkin Bay Bridge project was started in 2013 and is expected to continue through 2020. The 3-mile long causeway links Stafford on the mainland with Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. 

As part of the project, a new bridge has been constructed parallel to the existing one over Manahawkin Bay, providing the safety of a redundant route on or off the island. The new bridge is 2,400 feet long with a vertical clearance of 55 feet over Manahawkin Bay. It currently has two lanes in each direction while the original Causeway Bridge is being rehabilitated. Ultimately, it will function as the bridge for eastbound traffic once the project is completed. For more information NJDOT developed a project-specific website.