East Brunswick Route 18 Bridge Meeting By NJDOT Set For Thursday

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Transportation will hold a Public Information Center on Thursday,from 6 to 8 p.m. at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center to present plans for replacing the Route 18 Northbound Bridge over Conrail.

A virtual version of the meeting will also be available from Aug. 13 through Aug. 28 at www.Rt18NBBridgeoverConrail.com, according to NJDOT. Both the in-person and virtual sessions will allow residents to view a presentation, review project information, and submit comments or questions. Property owners with rental units are encouraged to inform tenants of the opportunity to participate.

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The project will replace the existing 112-foot-long, 64.2-foot-wide bridge, which NJDOT says is in poor condition and has a substandard vertical clearance over the railroad. The replacement will include a widened roadway with three 12-foot travel lanes, a 15-foot auxiliary lane, a 3-foot outside shoulder, and a 6-foot sidewalk, along with a required vertical under-clearance of 23 feet over the Conrail tracks, according to NJDOT.

Construction will be carried out in two primary traffic control stages. The ramp from CR 606 westbound to Route 18 northbound will be closed and detoured for most of the construction period, though a minimum of two lanes of traffic will be maintained on Route 18 at all times, NJDOT said. Signage will direct motorists and pedestrians to alternate routes during any ramp or sidewalk closures.

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

Comments on the project can be submitted by Thursday, Sept. 10, to info@rt18nbbridgeoverconrail.com. After that date, questions can be directed to Patience Sengbey, regional coordinator for NJDOT's Office of Government & Community Relations, at 609-963-1982 or patience.sengbey@dot.nj.gov.

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