NJDOT Announces Closures at Route 52 Somers Point Circle

OCEAN CITY — The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced that a portion of the Somers Point Circle southbound will be closed between MacArthur Boulevard and Mays Landing Road in order to construct a new drainage crossing underneath the roadway in Somers Point, Atlantic County. The closure will begin Monday, Jan. 4 and will be in place for approximately two weeks. The closure will be weather dependent.
Route 52 southbound traffic will be detoured south on Route 9 to Mays Landing Road back to Route 52 southbound.
Traffic coming from Shore Road and Ocean City into the circle and heading to Mays Landing Road or Broadway will continue north on Route 52 (MacArthur Blvd.) to Route 9 southbound to Mays Landing Rd.
The work is necessary as part of the second phase of construction on the new Route 52 causeway that provides a vital link to major Jersey Shore recreational destinations.
The $251 million second phase, or Contract B, of the project will replace the two remaining lift bridges at each end of the causeway, eliminate the Somers Point Circle and improve MacArthur Boulevard in Somers Point. NJDOT also will provide a new visitor’s center, multi-use sidewalks for bicyclists and pedestrians and several fishing piers as part of the project. Approximately $70 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds are supporting the project.
NJDOT began roadway reconstruction of the Route 52 approaches to the bridge over Beach Thorofare, in Ocean City in early-September. NJDOT has reduced Route 52 from two lanes to one lane in each direction and has shifted traffic to the west in Ocean City from West Avenue to Garrets Island. This traffic pattern will remain in place until May, 2010.
NJDOT planned the project in a manner that minimally impacts traffic. Two lanes will remain open to traffic in each direction on Route 52 during the summer months. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2012.
The initial, $145 million phase of construction, Contract A, began in October 2006 and includes the replacement of 1.2 miles of the interior portion of the 76-year-old Route 52 causeway from Elbow Island to Garrett’s Island. In April 2008, NJDOT opened to traffic the new northbound bridge, which is located east of the existing causeway. The old causeway has been demolished and the new southbound roadway was completed in spring 2009, almost six months ahead of schedule.
The causeway is used by an average of 40,000 motorists daily in the busy summer season.
ARRA funds are stimulating New Jersey’s economy by creating or supporting thousands of transportation-related jobs and making long-term improvements to roads, bridges and the transit system.
NJDOT has placed VMS along Route 52 and local roadways to alert motorists of traffic pattern changes. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website, www.nj511.info for travel times and project updates.