NJDOT to Hold Public Meeting On Rt 18 Bridge Replacement In East Brunswick

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Transportation will hold a public information center on the Route 18 Northbound Bridge over Conrail Replacement Project on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center, according to NJDOT.

The meeting will be held at 721 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. A virtual public meeting will also be available online from Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026, through Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, at www.Rt18NBBridgeoverConrail.com.

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Both the in-person and virtual meetings will offer a presentation, project information, and the opportunity to submit comments or questions. NJDOT said property owners with rental units are advised that tenants are also invited and encouraged to participate.

The purpose of the project is to replace the Route 18 Northbound Bridge over Conrail, which is in poor condition, while maintaining vehicle and pedestrian access, according to NJDOT. The existing bridge is 112 feet long and 64.2 feet wide, is in poor condition, and has a substandard vertical clearance over the railroad that must be improved to meet current design and safety standards.

The project will replace the bridge with a widened roadway cross section, 63 feet wide, consisting of three 12-foot-wide travel lanes, a 15-foot-wide auxiliary lane, a 3-foot outside shoulder and a 6-foot sidewalk. The new design will provide a minimum vertical under-clearance of 23 feet over the Conrail railroad tracks, NJDOT said. The center median will be replaced with barrier curb and concrete islands to eliminate maintenance concerns.

Environmental screening and studies were conducted to identify natural resources and cultural or historic resources within the project area, and the documentation and permits have been completed in coordination with federal and state agencies, according to NJDOT.

Construction will be performed in two primary traffic control stages. The ramp from County Road 606 westbound to Route 18 northbound will be closed and detoured throughout most of construction, though a minimum of two lanes of traffic will be maintained at all times along Route 18. Any ramp and sidewalk closures requiring detours will have signage directing motorists and pedestrians to alternate routes, NJDOT said.

Construction is expected to begin in summer 2026, with anticipated completion in spring 2029.

Comments must be submitted by Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026, to info@rt18nbbridgeoverconrail.com. Questions after that date can be directed to Patience Sengbey, regional coordinator with NJDOT's Office of Government & Community Relations, at 609-963-1982 or patience.sengbey@dot.nj.gov.

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