DOT Announces Another Traffic Shift In Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project

The state Department of Transportation will shift traffic on the Hilliards Thorofare bridge in Stafford Township as the next step in the Manahawkin Bay Bridges project.

The change starts today, when the contractor, Schiavone Construction Company, starts to shift traffic to the north side of the Hilliards Thorofare bridge. The move will maintain two lanes of traffic in each direction through the work zone, DOT spokesman Kevin Israel said.

The work will be completed on Feb. 17 and will allow the reconstruction of the southern side of the trestle bridge. The shift will remain in place until late summer, he said.

Work on the $350 million Route 72/Manahawkin Bay Bridge project was started in 2013 and is expected to continue through 2020. The three-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.

The work schedule is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

Image: New Jersey State Department of Transportation