OCEAN CITY– On the heels of an emergency closing of the Route 52 Causeway on Friday night, Mayor Sal Perillo called for the NJDOT to absorb the tolls at the Longport Bridge during future bridge closures until the construction of the causeway is completed in 2012.
A small piece of concrete was dislodged at the bridge on the Somers Point side of the causeway forcing the State to dispatch crews from Pomona and Mays Landing to complete an emergency repair. The bridge was reopened at midnight.
Route 52 Causeway traffic was detoured to the Longport-Ocean City Bridge and traffic backed up at the bridge’s toll plaza. The Longport-Ocean City Bridge is owned and operated by the Cape May County Bridge Commission.
Mayor Perillo stated, “The Bridge Commission was promptly contacted and a request was made to waive all tolls. Unfortunately no action was taken”.
The Route 52 Causeway was built in 1933 and its replacement is a top priority for the NJDOT. The first phase of this causeway construction was completed in June and the $251M second phase will start later this month. The entire project will be completed in 2012.
Perillo noted, “This causeway has been in need of replacement for some time – the State should take responsibility for these closures and the traffic delays that have resulted. We hope that these unplanned bridge closures do not occur again but given the age of this bridge and its condition we need to be prepared for this to happen again.”
Mayor Perillo praised the NJDOT for its quick response to this closure. NJDOT bridge crews were on the scene immediately after the closure and repaired the bridge in record time. A quick drying concrete was used that cures in less than two hours to repair the damaged bridge.
Cape May – Governor Murphy says he doesn't know anything about the drones and doesn't know what they are doing but he does know that they are not dangerous. Does anyone feel better now?
