One Lane on Mathis Bridge Open, Influx of Traffic Backing Up to Fischer Boulevard

With eastbound traffic down to one lane due to scheduled construction, coupled with an influx of drivers headed to Seaside, the Mathis bridge has come to a halt.

The three-lane bridge to Seaside is down to one lane, as construction crews work in the two right lanes as part of a months' long project to repair the bridge.

An 86-degree day sent many visitors east hoping to enjoy the beach, creating a backlog of traffic that begins to stall at the intersection with Fischer Boulevard and Route 37, reminscent of a Friday evening in summer.

The merge to one lane happens shortly after the final light before the bridge, and traffic is down to one lane for the entire span before opening up to three lanes again at Pelican Island.

It'll take about ten minutes to get from Fischer to Pelican Island, and the bridge traffic is the only current traffic alert along Route 37.

The construction is scheduled to continue through May 15, when the state Department of Transportation halts work on projects that would affect seasonal traffic.

The NJDOT will require daily single and double-lane closures between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the Route 37 eastbound Thomas A. Mathis bridge to repair the steel structure that supports the traffic signal located prior to the drawbridge. Also ongoing project to repaint both Route 37 bridges as well as the Pelican Island bridge at the eastern end of the causeway.

There's lane closures on the western span, too, but traffic there is light.