South Summit Avenue bridge to be closed for a few nights this week in Hackensack

(Trenton) - The South Summit Avenue bridge over Interstate 80 in Hackensack will be closed to vehicular traffic for two or possibly three nights this week, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) announced today.

The closures are necessary for NJDOT’s contractor, J.F.Creamer & Son Joint Venture with Joseph M. Sanzari, Inc., to pour concrete for the new bridge deck.

NJDOT is scheduled to close the bridge to traffic 10 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 until 5 a.m. Wednesday, July 20 and again during those same hours Wednesday night into Thursday morning. The work is expected to be accomplished in two nights. If additional work is required, the closure will be extended from Thursday night to Friday morning.

• South Summit Avenue southbound motorists will be detoured to Essex Street to Route 17 southbound to South Summit Avenue.

• South Summit Avenue northbound motorists will be detoured to West Pleasant Avenue to Route 17 southbound to Terrace Avenue to Mary Street to South Summit Avenue.

The Route 17 northbound ramp to South Summit Avenue remains closed for bridge reconstruction and ramp realignment.

The $4.8 million federally funded project is replacing the existing, structurally deficient bridge deck and resurfacing the bridge approaches. A new traffic signal will be installed on the ramp from Route 17 northbound to South Summit Avenue along with new sidewalks, lighting and guide rail throughout the project limits. NJDOT will maintain all available travel lanes on I-80 and Route 17 mainline during daytime and peak period hours. The project is expected to be complete in November 2011.

Variable message signs will notify motorists of upcoming traffic pattern changes.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org real-time travel information.