Lower daytime travel volumes have prompted New Jersey Department of Transportation to allow the schedule shift. Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission (DRJTBC) has been told that it can close Route 175/Upper River Road in Ewing during daytime hours to allow for construction activities related to the ongoing project to replace Scudder Falls Bridge.
A number of other New Jersey projects have also had daytime lane closures announced for this week.
The Commission’s contractor previously was restricted from implementing full daytime closures of the short-distance, two-lane state highway. But due to coronavirus-pandemic-related traffic volume declines, it has been determined that daytime closures/detours of Rte 175 are unlikely to cause adverse travel impacts.
The NJDOT approval of daytime road closures/detours means potentially noisy construction no longer needs to take place at night. Originally, this work was set to begin overnight this week, but was postponed so the DRJTBC and the contractor could seek a schedule change from the NJDOT.
The road closure is needed for work activities related to the construction of a new approach bridge that will carry I-295 SB traffic from the Scudder Falls Toll Bridge’s downstream span when it is completed and opened to traffic in late summer 2021. The work involves heavy equipment used for drilling shafts to support the new approach span, which will cross over Route 175, the Delaware and Raritan Canal, and the Route 29 NB bypass roadway.
Starting next week, the contractor can conduct the approach span work between 8am and 8pm.
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