Route 35 has been restored to carrying two lanes in each direction for the summer season on the drawbridge over Cheesequake Creek that connects Old Bridge and Sayreville.
The stage change took place last weekend and required overnight single-lane closures with alternating traffic patterns to return Route 35 to maximum capacity by early Sunday morning.
The state Department of Transportation’s contractor, Agate Construction Co., recently completed the rehabilitation of the southbound side of the bridge. To accommodate that work, the southbound side of the bridge had been closed since October, with two-way traffic shifted onto the northbound travel lanes carrying only one travel lane in each direction on Route 35.
Reconstruction of the northbound half of the bridge will begin this fall. At that time, Route 35 will again be reduced from four-lanes to two, this time shifted onto the newly rehabilitated southbound bridge.
The $25 million project is replacing the bridge decks, sidewalks, railings and median on the 70-year-old structure. The deck joints and structural steel elements will be repaired and the bridge will be repainted, according to the DOT. The outdated mechanical systems on the movable bascule span will also be rehabilitated and new safety barrier gates installed. The DOT has designed the bridge rehabilitation to be accomplished in stages, working on one side of the bridge at a time. Removing live traffic from the side of the bridge being worked on will reportedly facilitate faster and safer rehabilitation operations.
The project is anticipated to be completed by fall 2013.
Motorists are encouraged to check the DOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org, for real-time travel information.