HUDSON COUNTY – The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced the upcoming start of full roadway closures associated with an interim bridge repair project on the Route 7/Wittpenn Bridge over the Hackensack River in Jersey City and Kearny.
NJDOT is performing interim repairs to keep the bridge in service while a new replacement bridge is designed.
Beginning this weekend there will be full closures of the Wittpenn Bridge for six consecutive weekends. On April 8, NJDOT is scheduled to fully close the bridge to traffic for the entire weekend from 10 p.m. Friday night until 5:30 a.m. Monday morning.
In addition to the weekend closures there will also be periodic closures overnight on week nights beginning Monday, April 11. Week night closures will continue for approximately five weeks.
All work is weather dependent.
The following detours can be used during all bridge closures:
• Route 7 eastbound traffic will take Fish House Road to Pennsylvania Avenue to Central Avenue and then continue to Route 1&9T northbound and return to Route 7.
• Route 7 westbound traffic will take to Route 1&9T southbound to Central Avenue and then continue to Pennsylvania Avenue to Fish House Road and return to Route 7.
The $3.7 million interim repair project will make structural and mechanical repairs, in addition to safety and operational improvements to the Wittpenn vertical lift bridge. The proposed work includes bridge deck repairs that will include new asphalt overlay, superstructure and substructure repairs, and the installation of a staircase and lighting on the lift span tower.
The project should be completed by summer.
Eventually NJDOT plans to replace the existing Wittpenn Bridge, which is structurally deficient, with a new, wider structure. The new bridge is currently in the design phase.
Real time travel and construction information is available online at www.511nj.org.