Traffic Changes At Routes 35, 37; Rebuilding Gears up Along Barnegat Peninsula

State officials today announced a series of upcoming traffic pattern changes at and around the Route 35 interchange with Route 37 i- all due to major construction activity at the southern end of the Department’s Route 35 Reconstruction project along the Barnegat Peninsula in Ocean County.

After 9 a.m. on Monday morning, September 9, NJDOT’s contractor, Union Paving & Construction Co., is scheduled to begin implementing a long-term closure of the Route 37 eastbound ramp connection to Route 35 northbound (for Seaside Heights) at the eastern end of the Mathis Bridge. 

·         Route 37 motorists destined for Seaside Heights and points north will be directed to stay right to utilize the ramp for Route 35 southbound (for Seaside Park/Island Beach State Park), then stay left at the Decatur Avenue U-turn and follow signs for Route 35 northbound.

Simultaneously, the contractor is planning to fully close a stretch of the Route 35 southbound expressway (running along the Barnegat Bay) between 6th Avenue in Ortley Beach (Toms River) and the Route 37 interchange in Seaside Heights.  

·         Motorists will be directed to turn left at 6th Avenue then make a right onto existing Route 35 northbound - which will be reconfigured to carry one travel lane in each direction - to connect with Route 35 southbound local (Central Avenue) to access downtown Seaside Heights and all other points south. 

·         Motorists destined for the Route 37 westbound bridge will follow the same detour and then make a right turn onto Hamilton Avenue in Seaside Heights to Route 37 westbound.

·         Access to the numerous businesses and marinas along the closed section of Route 35 southbound will be maintained via Washington Avenue and Bay Boulevard.

·         Variable message and static detour signs will be utilized throughout the area to provide notification of the closures and associated detours.

The roadway and ramp closures are anticipated to remain in place for approximately four months to accommodate the contractor as it rebuilds this stretch of the highway and install new drainage systems underneath the road.

The work is being done in connection with the $81 million Route 35 Reconstruction Contract 3, which will rebuild the southern-most 4-mile segment of the highway covering Ortley Beach (Toms River), Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and Berkeley up to the entrance for Island Beach State Park.  Between September 2013 and May 2014, one northbound and southbound lane will be maintained at all times.  During the heavily traveled summer months, all existing travel lanes will be maintained.

In early-July, Governor Chris Christie announced the start of the overall $265 million construction project - divided into three geographical contracts - to rebuild Route 35, a state highway along the New Jersey coastline that nine months ago sustained heavy damage during Superstorm Sandy.

NJDOT plans to substantially complete the 12.5-mile reconstruction project of the roadway, from the border between Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head to the entrance of Island Beach State Park in Berkeley, by the summer of 2015.