Manahawkin Bay Bridge Project Update Slated For Wednesday

Southern Ocean County residents with questions about the ongoing Manahawkin Bay Bridge Project can get some answers at two information public sessions slated for Wednesday, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The first session will be held from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on March 23 at the Ship Bottom Borough Hall at 1621 Long Beach Boulevard. The second session will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the same day at the Stafford Township branch of the Ocean County Library at 129 North Main Street in Manahawkin.

The $350 million Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridgs project calls for the construction of a new bridge parallel to the existing one over Manahawkin Bay, officials have said.

The new bridge will be 2,400 feet long with a vertical clearance of 55 feet over Manahawkin Bay. Ultimately, it will function as the bridge for eastbound traffic once the project is completed.

When construction of the new span is completed in 2016, the existing Bay Bridge, which is structurally deficient and functionally obsolete, will be closed to traffic for rehabilitation. Upon completion of the rehabilitation work, it will serve as the bridge for westbound traffic.

The DOT developed a project-specific website available online at www.nj.gov/transportation. Click on “In the Works” and select “Our Projects & the Environment” from the drop-down menu. Select “Route 72 Manahawkin Bay Bridges Project.”

Completion of the entire project - with details for all four contracts here - is scheduled for 2020.

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 website www.511nj.orgfor real-time travel information.