Route 71 Bridge Lane Closures In Belmar

The state Department of Transportation said it has begun maintenance repairs that require temporary lane closures on the Route 71 Bridge between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea in Monmouth County.

This work was originally scheduled to begin last week but was postponed because of weather

With work continuing for the next several weeks, NJDOT’s contractor, Agate Construction, closed the left lane in each direction on the Route 71/Main Street moveable bridge over the Shark River, according to a DOT release.

The work will establish a center work zone for bridge maintenance repairs. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with northbound traffic using the shoulder as a travel lane.

At least one lane in each direction will be maintained during construction. The drawbridge will remain operational for boat traffic and the sidewalks will remain open to pedestrians.

The work is expected to be completed before Memorial Day.

The maintenance work on the Route 71 Bridge over Shark River began last fall with work on the outside lanes and curbs.

The current work includes concrete deck and joint repairs, moveable bridge parts maintenance, crack sealing and waterproofing of the substructure, cleaning of the drainage scuppers and miscellaneous asphalt repairs.

Construction signs will provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.

Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information and, for NJDOT news, follow on Twitter @NJDOT_info and on the NJDOT Facebook page.