Circle Drive On Cedar Bonnet Island Closed Starting Today

MANAHAWKIN, NJ — Circle Drive on Cedar Bonnet Island in Stafford will be closed as the Rt. 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges project advances, NJ Department of Transportation officials announced today.

Beginning at noon today, March 18, Circle Drive will be closed under the bridge on Cedar Bonnet Island in Stafford to make traffic signal and lighting improvements. The work will not affect the West Thorofare Bridge and is expected to be completed before the summer. The following detours will be in place:

Circle Drive to northside of Cedar Bonnet Island detour:

• Motorists on the southside of the island wishing to take Circle Drive under the bridge to the northside of the island will be directed to Rt. 72 eastbound
• Route 72 eastbound becomes 9th street in Ship Bottom
• Turn left on N. Barnegat Avenue
• Turn left onto 8th Street, which is Rt. 72 westbound
• Take the ramp onto East Bay Avenue

East Bay Avenue to southside of Cedar Bonnet Island detour:

• Motorists on the northside of the island wishing to take East Bay Avenue under the bridge to Circle Drive on the southside of the island will be directed to Rt. 72 westbound
• Stay in the left lane and take the U-turn onto Rt. 72 eastbound
• Take the ramp onto 3rd Street to Circle Drive

The construction is to improve safety and reduce congestion in Stafford at the Marsha Drive/Rt. 72 intersection and in Ship Bottom on Long Beach Island. In Stafford, Marsha Drive will be widened to provide double left turn lanes onto Rt. 72, and a third lane will be added on Rt. 72 in both directions near the intersection.

In Ship Bottom, 8th and 9th Streets on Rt. 72 and three cross streets (Barnegat Avenue, Central Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard) will be widened. Two-way traffic will be restored along Central Avenue and Long Beach Boulevard. Five traffic signals will be reconstructed, and a new traffic signal will be installed at the intersection of 8th Street and Long Beach Boulevard.

In addition, a new storm drainage system and new outfalls will be installed in an effort to reduce frequent flooding along Rt. 72 and these intersections. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. For more information, go to the NJDOT project website.