Bridge Closure Continues In Jefferson, Town Has Declared State Of Emergency

JEFFERSON, NJ —The mayor of Jefferson Township said some access has been restored to businesses on Route 15 as of Thursday night, but most southbound traffic still needs to follow a posted detour.

The town declared a local emergency Wednesday, after a bridge closure on Route 15 southbound diverted heavy traffic onto other roads and residential streets, causing delays and confusion.

State transportation officials declared the small bridge over the Rockaway River to be unsafe Tuesday afternoon, as they launched a new phase of a reconstruction project.

The ensuing closure near the Cedar Terrace intersection has caused heavy traffic, limited access to local homes and businesses, and also affected drivers from other communities who are trying to take Route 15 to I-80.

Mayor Eric Wilsusen said Thursday night that there "are still efforts in the works" to get access to the lower portion of Route 15 on Friday.

He said the emergency declaration could help town officials get more resources to re-route traffic, restore access to home and businesses, and recoup any costs the town has incurred.

"And the answer is no, it does not give me the ability to just drop in a new bridge!" he added in a post Thursday morning.

Wilsusen said he was told that the New Jersey Department of Transportation will have a plan in place to get the bridge at least partially open, or find another way to get traffic off of local roads, by Friday.

He posted an image of the current detour, which uses Edison, Espanong, Minnisink, and Berkshire Valley roads to get back over to Route 15.

Morris and Sussex County officials are helping Jefferson Township with managing traffic flow, officials said.

"Motorists are urged to remain patient, plan for delays and follow the posted detour signs and the instructions of law enforcement officers monitoring traffic," said Morris County officials.

NJDOT has promised to provide regular updates on the situation, officials said. Patch has reached out to the state for more information.

Read more: NJ Route 15 Bridge Closure Causes Major Headaches; Town Asks State For Help