Here’s When The Route 18 Construction In East Brunswick Is Expected To Finish

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – When Mayor Brad Cohen first took office, residents watched as Route 18 construction transformed neighboring New Brunswick and Old Bridge. The one question everyone asked was simple - when would East Brunswick get its turn for much-needed roadway improvements?

Now that the state's Department of Transportation has arrived and work is underway along the four-mile stretch in East Brunswick, residents have a new pressing concern - when will this massive undertaking finally be complete?

According to township officials, the current timeline points to completion around 2027, though several variables could affect this target date.

The work on Route 18 is more than simple road resurfacing. The project encompasses numerous components along the entire four-mile corridor, creating what officials describe as a "massive project" with significant complexity.

"The work is complicated. There's a lot of parts to that project along the entire length of the four miles that traverse East Brunswick," Cohen said during a “Ask the Mayor” session.

He acknowledged that the scope of construction has made some local roads "almost impossible to navigate."

The project timeline faces several unpredictable factors, including weather conditions and potential underground complications that weren't apparent during initial planning phases.

Despite these challenges, work crews are reportedly running slightly ahead of schedule, giving township officials cautious optimism about meeting the 2027 target.

A significant component of the project involves upgrading the water lines along with the road construction. While this addition extended the project timeline by approximately one year, Cohen emphasized on the long-term financial benefits of this decision.

"That water line alone added another year to the project," he said. However, completing the water infrastructure work now, while Route 18 is already torn up, represents substantial cost savings for taxpayers.

The township estimates that handling the water line project independently would cost $18 million, with East Brunswick bearing the full financial burden. By coordinating with the state's Route 18 project, the state is contributing half the funding, essentially saving the township $9 million.

"If we don't do that now, it's an $18 million project doing it now the state's giving us half the money towards that project, if we wait to do it later, we have the full freight and all the repair work to [Route] 18," Cohen noted.

While the 2027 completion timeline remains the current projection, township officials acknowledge that unforeseen circumstances could impact this schedule. Underground utility complications, weather delays, and other construction challenges common to large-scale infrastructure projects all represent potential variables.

For now, East Brunswick residents can take some consolation in the fact that work is progressing ahead of schedule, and the decision to integrate water line improvements will provide long-term benefits to the community.

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