EWING, NJ – The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission today announced it has received New Jersey Department of Transportation permission to close Route 175/Upper River Road in Ewing during daytime hours to allow for construction activities related to the ongoing Scudder Falls Bridge Replacement Project.
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 is 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 Commission and the contractor could get 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 – at a maximum — between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Thru-traffic along Route 175/Upper River Road will be directed to instead use nearby NJ Route 29. Meanwhile, access will continued to be maintained for local residents along the closed roadway.
The aforementioned scheduled travel restrictions are subject to change due to weather, emergency, traffic, and equipment/materials mobilization considerations. Motorists are urged to allow extra time to reach their destinations, reduce speeds and exercise caution when travelling through project work areas.
