Motorists crossing the Delaware Memorial Bridge bound for New Jersey should expect possible disruptions until Thanksgiving as work starts on a three-phase project to repair the driving surface.
The Delaware River & Bay Authority announced Thursday that construction has started on the northbound two right lanes of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. The lanes will remain continuously closed until late November, according to the DRBA.
A third northbound lane will be closed during overnight hours to accommodate concrete pouring operations.
“Using hydro demolition, two inches of the old deck will be removed, the transverse deck relief joints and expansion joints replaced, and an Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) deck overlay added,” DRBA Chief Engineer David A. Hoppenjans said. “The work will completely resurface the New Jersey bound span with completion anticipated in 2023.”
To alleviate traffic concerns, a bypass lane for drivers heading north was opened on the Delaware-bound side of the bridge. The DRBA said this lane is recommended only for motorists planning to access the New Jersey Turnpike, and added commercial vehicles are not permitted to use the bypass.
The DRBA said the remaining three Delaware-bound lanes will be available to travelers.
“While the project has been designed to minimize traffic delays to the extent possible, motorists may encounter them, particularly during rush hour time periods and peak weekend travel times,” DRBA spokesman James Salmon said.
According to the DRBA, a bridge deck study conducted on the New Jersey-bound structure noted that the bridge deck was showing “accelerated deterioration and required substantial repair.”
The $71-million, three-phase project is scheduled for completion by November 2023.
Phase two is planned for Spring 2023 (February to May) with phase three to follow in Fall 2023 with a similar timeline to phase one.
The DRBA said construction will pause during winter and peak summer travel season.
A South Jersey native, Anthony Coppola has handled a variety of beats at The Daily Journal, Courier-Post and Burlington County Times, including award-winning work in sports and business coverage. Coppola, who joined the staff in 2008, now focuses on public safety enterprise reporting.
