Route 35 Bridge In Brielle Is Restored To Normal

New Jersey Department of Transportation officials have announced the Route 35 Bridge over Ashley Avenue, between Brielle and Point Pleasant Beach, would be restored to its normal configuration of two lanes in each direction by Friday morning.

The announcement comes two weeks before Memorial Day weekend, as this stage of the bridge repair in Brielle was completed early.

Beginning at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 8 until 6 a.m. the next day, NJDOT’s contractor Ritacco Construction, Inc., was scheduled to remove construction barrier to restore the normal two lanes of traffic on the newly completed Route 35 northbound side of the bridge by Thursday morning.

On Thursday, May 9 between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day, the second lane on the southbound side of the bridge was to be reopened. By Friday, May 10 all lanes were to be reopened on the bridge ahead of schedule and before Memorial Day weekend and the busy summer season.

Construction began in September 2018 with one lane of traffic maintained in each direction on the southbound side while the northbound side of the bridge was reconstructed. In mid-September 2019, construction will resume with the southbound side of the bridge being closed for reconstruction. At that time, one lane of traffic will be maintained in each direction on the northbound side of the bridge.

The $6.8 million dollar federally-funded project is replacing the girders, deck, parapets, sidewalk, and other improvements to the superstructure, substructure, lighting, and approaches to the bridge. The project is designed in stages to minimize impacts to traffic. The project is expected to be complete by spring of 2020.

Advanced warning and variable messaging signs are being utilized to provide advance notification to the motoring public of all traffic pattern changes associated with the work. NJDOT will provide more information before any lane closures are scheduled.

The precise timing of the work was subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info or on the NJDOT Facebook page.