I-80 Bridges over Route 46 replacement project begins in Morris County

Route 46 lane closures tonight to set up long-term traffic shift

There are two separate bridges, one carrying I-80 eastbound traffic and the other carrying westbound traffic over Route 46, which are both structurally deficient. I-80 has three lanes of traffic in each direction through this area with an average of about 92,000 vehicles traveling over these bridges each day. Route 46 has two lanes in each direction under the bridge divided by a median and carries approximately 25,000 vehicles each day. To minimize the effect to traffic, the project will replace the bridges in stages.

To begin, the project requires lane closures on Route 46 tonight to set up a long-term traffic shift on Route 46 in both directions in order to establish a center median work zone.

Route 46 overnight lane closure

Starting at 10 p.m. tonight, Friday, October 13 until 7 a.m. tomorrow, NJDOT’s contractor Ferreira Construction Co. Inc., is scheduled to close the left lane of both Route 46 eastbound and westbound between N. Frontage Road and Mooney Road in Roxbury to install construction barrier and restripe the roadway to establish a long-term traffic shift.  Route 46 traffic will use the right lane and right shoulder to maintain two travel lanes in each direction at all times during construction to minimize impacts to motorists.

As the project advances, additional I-80 and Route 46 temporary lane closures will be necessary.

The $15.1 million federally-funded project will advance in stages, first replacing the I-80 eastbound bridge, followed by the I-80 westbound bridge. Each two-span concrete bridge will be replaced by single-span steel girder structure with concrete bridge decks. The vertical clearance will be raised to 14 feet-9 inches to improve safety for tall vehicles on Route 46, and existing guiderail will be upgraded to current standards. In addition, the bridge piers currently located underneath each bridge will be demolished.

In order to minimize impacts to motorists, a temporary I-80 bridge with two travel lanes will be constructed in the median area, and a third lane will be provided on each new bridge, to maintain three travel lanes in each direction as construction progresses. Construction is expected to be completed by early 2020.

Variable message signs and lane closure signs will be utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the bridge replacement project. Throughout the project, NJDOT will provide information before upcoming road closures.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weatheror other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.