More Lane Shifts Ahead For Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project, State DOT says

Drivers will have to get used to more lane shifts starting on Nov. 28, as work continues on the Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project, according to the state Department of Transportation.

Traffic on the two thorofare bridges that connect Bonnet Island to Cedar Bonnet Island and Long Beach Island will shift traffic from the north side of the two bridges to the south side. That means there will only be a single lane in each direction in the work zone, according to a DOT release.

The single lane in each direction will stay in place until the spring of 2017.

The shift will permit the resurfacing of the north-side bridge decks. The single lane pattern in each direction will start just west of the West Thorofare Bridge and conclude just east of the East Thorofare Bridge on Long Beach Island.

Work on the $350 million Route 72/Manahawkin Bay Bridge project was started in 2013 and is will continue through 2020. The three-mile Causeway links the Stafford Mainland to Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island.

A new bridge has been already been constructed parallel to the existing bridge over Manahawkin Bay. The new bridge is 2,400 feet long with a vertical clearance of 55 feet over the bay. It currently has two lanes in each direction while the original Causeway Bridge is being rehabilitated.

When the project is complete, the new bridge will function as the bridge for eastbound traffic once the project is completed. For more information NJDOT developed a project-specific website.

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 websitewww.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info.

Image: Patch file photo.