Crime & Safety

Engineer Anticipates End to Route 571 Detour This Week

Detour expected to end by the end of the day July 3

A weeks-long detour on Route 571 near Toms River’s border with Manchester is expected to end this week, according to the Ocean County engineer.

Beginning May 29, a construction project at the Route 571 bridge over the Toms River has meant a detour there for all westbound traffic on the county roadway.

“We are still anticipating that normal traffic patterns will be restored by end of day July 3,” Ocean County Engineer Frank Scarantino said in an email. 

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The engineer did note that the project may take longer if weather conditions slow the repaving process. 

Traffic heading west on Route 571 has been diverted on to Route 527 before reconnecting on Route 70. Eastbound traffic on Route 571 has been able to continue to cross the bridge during construction, according to the county sheriff's department.

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This detour is necessary so crews can complete repairs to the bridge over the Toms River on the township's border with Manchester.

"The project is hardening the bridge against the scour that Hurricane Irene caused about 18 months ago," Scarantino has said.

In 2011, flooding from Irene caused the surface of the roadway leading up to the bridge to cave in, closing a section of the two-lane road and forcing drivers in both directions to take a long detour for several days while initial repairs were made.

Another phase of the project is expected later this summer, according to Scarantino. 

“There will be some brief lane closures in about 45 days to resurface the bridge after any residual settlements have occurred but that should be off peak with out any detour,” he said.


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