Route 173 lane closures required for start of culvert replacement project in Hunterdon County

Traffic shift necessary for start of construction

(Trenton) -New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced overnight lane closures to put a traffic shift in place for the start of a culvert replacement project on Route 173 over the Musconetcong River in Bethlehem, Hunterdon County.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, August 24 until 8 a.m. the next morning, NJDOT’s Contractor, Ritacco Construction Corporation, is scheduled to close the eastbound and westbound left lanes on Route 173 to set-up a work zone that will shift westbound traffic onto the eastbound side of the road, allowing for the replacement of two existing culverts.

With the traffic shift in place, one travel lane in each direction will be maintained at all times. Construction will continue daily, Monday through Friday, until 3:30 p.m. The project will be constructed in stages with this configuration expected to remain until December.

The $1.6 million state-funded Route 173 over the Musconetcong River culvert replacement project will replace a structurally deficient box culvert and a double barrel corrugated driveway culvert. The project also will reconstruct two retaining walls, replace curbs, upgrade guiderails and resurface existing pavement. The project is expected to be completed in late spring 2019.

Variable message signs are being utilized throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the culvert replacement project. Throughout the project, NJDOT will provide information before any upcoming road closures.