Route 77 and Route 40 pavement rehabilitation project requires overnight closures and detour of Pole Tavern Circle in Salem County

A new 8-foot wide truck apron will be constructed inside the circle

(Trenton) -New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced overnight closures and detour of the Pole Tavern Circle in Elmer, Salem County as the Route 77 and Route 40 pavement rehabilitation project progresses.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Monday, August 20 until 6 a.m. the next morning, NJDOT’s contractor, South State Inc., will close and detour the Pole Tavern Circle for reconstruction. Work will continue nightly, Monday through Friday, from 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. Work is expected to be completed in a few weeks. Route 40 and Route 77 will remain open to local traffic in all directions.

The Pole Tavern Circle reconstruction project includes a new 8-foot wide concrete truck apron along the inner circle perimeter. This will provide additional clearance for trucks to navigate around the traffic circle without riding up on the grassy center island, reducing damage to the vegetation and erosion behind the sloping curb. The circle reconstruction also includes pavement and curb repairs. 

Route 40 westbound detour
Motorists traveling westbound on Route 40 will turn right onto CR 619 and continue until it intersects again with Route 40

Route 40 eastbound detour

• Motorists traveling eastbound on Route 40 will turn left onto CR 581
• Turn right onto CR 619
• Follow CR 619 around back to Route 40

Route 77 northbound detour

• Motorists traveling northbound on Route 77 will turn right onto Route 611(Elmer-Shirley Road)
• Turn left onto Route 677 (Burlington Road) which becomes Route 648 to Route 77

Route 77 southbound detour

• Motorists traveling southbound on Route 77 will turn left onto Route 648 Road/Route 677 (Burlington Road)
• Turn right onto CR 611

The Pole Tavern Circle reconstruction project is one stage of the Route 77, Elmer-Shirley Road project that includes pipe and concrete replacement and milling and repaving for more than ten miles of roadway through these rural communities.

The $4.4 million federally-funded project is expected to be completed in the fall 2018.


The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or 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 or on the NJDOT Facebook page.