I-78 eastbound Express lanes and ramp to be closed this weekend for priority bridge repair work in Newark

Ramp to West Runyon Street to be detoured while repairs are made

(Trenton) -New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the closure of the I-78 eastbound Express lanes and the exit ramp to West Runyon Street in Newark this weekend for priority structural bridge repairs in Newark, Essex County.

Beginning at 11 p.m. Friday, August 23 until 5 a.m. the next day, NJDOT’s contractor, Mount Construction Co., Inc., is scheduled to close the I-78 eastbound Express lanes and shift motorists to I-78 eastbound Local lanes before the Garden State Parkway.

Exit 56 splits to allow traffic to go to either West Runyon Street or Peddie Street in Newark. The left lane to West Runyon will be closed and detoured to Peddie Street for bridge bearing and steel girder repairs underneath the bridge.

Sections of the ramp are required to be lifted by a jack system in order to gain access underneath to perform structural steel repairs. Inspections of the bridge found the rate of deterioration of structural members required immediate repairs. Due to the nature of the jacking process which requires the bridge to be lifted and lowered in a slow and uniform rate, additional overnight ramp closures may be necessary. Traffic on the I-78 eastbound ramp to Peddie Street will continue to have access in Newark. The following detour will be in place during the ramp closure:

I-78 eastbound EXIT 56 to West Runyon Street detour:

• Traffic on I-78 eastbound should use Exit 56 to Peddie Street
• Make a right on East Peddie Street
• Make a left on Elizabeth Avenue
• Make a left onto West Runyon Street