Route 71 Bridge Overnight Closings Start Monday

The Route 71 bridge connecting downtown Belmar with Avon-By-The-Sea will be closed during the overnight hours next week while crews work to upgrade the bridge's safety barrier gates, officials said. 

The state Department of Transportation, beginning Monday, April 30, will pin the bridge in the open position from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., repeating the process each night that week, according to a release from the state Department of Transportation. 

The project is expected to be completed by Saturday, May 5, at 6 a.m., the release says. 

During the overnight hours, traffic will be redirected to the Route 35 bridge just one west of the Route 71 bridge, the release says. The Ocean Avenue bridge, six blocks to the east, is another option. 

The closures are necessary for a manufacturer’s warranty upgrade on the new safety barrier gates, which will be performed at no-cost to the state, the release says.

In 2011, NJDOT completed a project to rehabilitate the mechanical and electrical systems on the bridge and installed new safety barrier gates, the release says. 

"The Shark River channel is one of the busiest commercial boating channels in the state and the bridge is required to open for marine traffic on-demand, per U.S. Coast Guard requirements," the release says.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors, the release says.  NJDOT provides emergency roadway information, construction schedule updates and real time traffic information and images at www.511nj.org.