Construction To Begin on Routes 287, 78, 202/206 Friday

BEDMINSTER, NJ — Major road improvement work will begin Friday on highways 287, 78, 202 and 206.

Specifically work will be done on I-287 interchange with I-78 in Bridgewater and Bedminster and realigning the exit ramp from I-287 northbound to Route 202/206 southbound.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 23, and continuing until 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, NJDOT’s contractor, Midlantic Construction LLC., will alternate the closure of the left and right lanes on Route 202/Route 206 southbound between Schley Mountain Road and Hills Drive in Bedminster to restripe and place drums, the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Once the traffic shift is in place, Route 202/Route 206 southbound will maintain two 11-foot travel lanes shifted to the left side of the highway and a construction zone on the right.

In addition, two lanes of I-287 northbound will be temporarily closed overnight between approximately Burnt Mills Road overpass and Exit 22A in Bedminster to establish a temporary work zone. The construction zone will be established by alternating the closure of the two left lanes, and then the two right lanes to restripe and place drums.

Once the traffic shift is in place, I-287 northbound will consist of four 11-foot travel lanes shifted to the left side of the highway with a construction zone on the right. Barrier curb is expected to be installed overnight in the near future.

The $24.5 million federally-funded project improvements include:

• A new flyover ramp from I-78 eastbound that will be constructed to provide a right side entry to I-287 northbound through a new loop ramp. The existing ramp and its left side entry to I-287 northbound will be eliminated.
• The new flyover ramp will require construction of two new bridges spanning over the existing I-287 northbound to I-78 westbound ramp and over the I-287 southbound roadway.
• The existing Exit 21A ramp from I-287 northbound to I-78 eastbound will be shifted to the south to provide room to construct the new loop ramp.
• The mainline lanes of I-287 northbound will be realigned within the existing highway footprint such that the fourth northbound through lane originates on the right side of the roadway at the new loop ramp entry (as opposed to the left side entry as now exists).
• Realignment of the existing I-287 northbound Exit 22A ramp to Routes 202/206 southbound to provide continuous flow of traffic from the ramp onto Routes 202/206 and reduce possible traffic backing up onto I-287.

For more information about the project, visit the I-287/I-78 Interchange Improvements Project web page.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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