North Section Of Turnpike Being Modified To Accommodate More Traffic
A five-mile stretch of Florida’s Turnpike will be closing overnight starting Monday, March 13, 2017 and continuing through Friday, March 17, 2017, officials with Florida’s Department of Transportation have announced. The closures will be in effect for a four-hour period each morning, from about 12:30 a.m. until 4:30 a.m., authorities said in a written release.
The closures are necessary, officials said, to accommodate road-widening and resurfacing along that stretch of the Turnpike, through Wildwood. Additional improvements will also improve traffic flow at the I-75 interchange with Florida’s Turnpike, officials announced.
Detours During Turnpike Closure
Drivers who want to get onto Florida’s Turnpike southbound from I-75 will have to exit I-75 at Florida’s State Road 44, then travel east to U.S. 301. From U.S. 301, drivers can travel southbound to the entrance of Florida’s Turnpike.
Drivers who are traveling north on Florida’s Turnpike will follow the same detour, but in the opposite direction. Drivers will be detoured off the turnpike at Exit 304, then turned north on U.S. 301 to Florida State Road 44. Drivers will then be detoured west on SR 44 to I-75.
Officials Announce April Reopening, But Only If “Best Case Scenario” Prevails
The Delaware River Bridge, which connects the New Jersey Turnpike and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, is slated to remain closed at least another eight weeks, officials announced Friday. The bridge was shut to civilian traffic on Friday, January 20 when a large crack was discovered in a support truss. The decision to keep the bridge closed was made by a joint engineering task force being co-led by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. The agencies jointly own and manage the DRB.
Jacking And Realigning Bridge To Take At Least One Month
That means the next several weeks will be devoted to installing temporary towers and hydraulic jacks to realign the bridge. The groundwork for the jacking towers began last week, authorities said. Steel-pipe pilings are being installed underground, according to officials, that will support 80-foot towers. Those towers will be carefully jacked into position to realign the bridge, but that will not happen until early March, at least, according to authorities.
However, officials admit they do not know whether the rest of the bridge can support a regular traffic flow, and authorities said they will not be able to determine that until the jacking process is completed.
“The goal of the jacking operation is to return the bridge to its original position and allow us to complete a permanent splice of the fracture,” said Brad Heigel, Chief Engineer for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. “As the jacking operation occurs, and load is transferred within the bridge, instrumentation will monitor the actual loads, stresses and displacements, which will be compared to estimated outcomes from computer models.”
Agency Heads Say They Hope For “Best Case Scenario”, But Sound Cautionary Tone
“Under the best case scenario, the bridge will return to its original position and the construction team will be able to install a permanent repair splice on the fractured steel member,” officials with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority wrote in a prepared statement. “It is possible, however, that the process will reveal the need for a [sic] more complex repairs or possibly even replacement of the entire structure, in which case the closure would last longer.”
“We want to get this bridge reopened to traffic as soon as we are safely able to do so,” said New Jersey Transportation Commissioner Richard T. Hammer. Hammer also serves as chairman of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority board.
“We understand the inconvenience this closure creates for tens of thousands of drivers every day,” he said. “We are working around the clock to get it reopened. But we won’t allow a single car to cross that bridge until we are absolutely certain that it is safe.”
Alternate routes remain in effect for traffic crossing between the two states’ turnpikes. Authorities say the DRB carries an average of 42-thousand vehicles per day across the now-disabled span.
REPAIR TIMETABLE
The PTC announced a tentative repair timetable, which authorities say represents the best case scenario for reopening the bridge to traffic. That timetable is as follows:
Estimated Bridge Repair Timetable
Feb. 6 – Install jacking towers.
Feb. 13 – Install jacking towers, instrumentation and structural reinforcement required for jacking.
Feb. 20 – Install instrumentation and structural reinforcement required for jacking.
Feb. 27 – Install structural reinforcement required for jacking.
March 6 – Perform jacking.
March 13 – Install permanent repair splice.
March 20 – Perform load testing.
March 27 – Demobilize jacking towers.
ALTERNATE ROUTES
Eastbound Detour (Pennsylvania to New Jersey)
PA Turnpike motorists heading east into New Jersey should use this revised alternate route: Exit at the Bensalem Interchange, #351 in Bucks County. Follow U.S. Route 1 north, to I-95 north, to I-295, south, to I-195 east. Take Exit 6 on I-195, and reenter the NJ Turnpike. Source: PA Turnpike Commission.
Westbound Detour (New Jersey to Pennsylvania)
NJTP drivers heading west into Pennsylvania will need to use either Interstate 78, Interstate 295, or the Burlington-Bristol Bridge. Source: New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
Delaware River Bridge To Be Closed Indefinitely Due To Crack In Structure
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority are, jointly, warning drivers to expect “extreme delays” at crossings over the Delaware River due to the closure of the Delaware River Bridge. The bridge, which connects the New Jersey Turnpike to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, was closed Friday afternoon after a painting crew found a large crack in a support truss.
Officials with each state office were asking drivers to consider using public transit or carpooling to help reduce congestion. Authorities also have suggested people consider adjusting their work schedules, for those who can do so, or consider working from home, known in the tech world as telecommuting.
Updated Detours From State Officials In Pennsylvania And New Jersey
Meanwhile, authorities in both states listed an updated detour list, given the DRB is likely to remain closed for weeks to come. Essentially, drivers heading to New Jersey will be detoured off the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Exit 351, although local traffic will be permitted to access Exit 358, authorities with the PA Turnpike Commission announced. Meanwhile, drivers heading to Pennsylvania will be detoured off the New Jersey Turnpike at Exit 7A.
The full set of detours released by the states’ respective commissions is as follows:
Motorists heading to New Jersey will be detoured at PA Turnpike Exit 351 to Route 1 northbound to I-95 northbound, which becomes I-295 southbound in New Jersey, to I-195 eastbound to the New Jersey Turnpike. PA Turnpike Exit #358, Delaware Valley, will remain open for local traffic only; watch out for a single-lane pattern approaching Delaware Valley.
Motorists heading to Pennsylvania will be detoured at New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 7A to I-195 westbound to I-295 northbound, which becomes I-95 southbound; or from New Jersey Turnpike Interchange 5 to Mount Holly Road. Motorists traveling from northern New Jersey are advised to exit at Interchange 14 and use I-78 west into Pennsylvania.
Bridge Analysis To Take Several Weeks
Engineers and construction crews worked through the weekend to stabilize the bridge at the site of the fracture; however, officials announced Saturday that a structural analysis of the bridge would take several weeks.
“A comprehensive bridge analysis will be performed to better understand the global impact the fracture has had on the entire bridge,” authorities announced in a news release. “Information gathered is critical to determine the scope of and strategy for a permanent repair and reopening the bridge to traffic.”
“Unfortunately, at a minimum, the bridge will remain closed for several weeks,” said New Jersey Turnpike Authority Executive Director Joseph W. Mrozek in a written statement. “We will not be able to reopen it until we are absolutely certain it is safe. All of the agencies and contractors involved will be working urgently to make that happen as quickly as possible.”
The bridge has been undergoing a $61-million rehabilitation since 2012, according to officials, with in-depth inspections of the structure every two years. The $400-thousand cost is shared between the PTC and the NJTA, although the New Jersey Turnpike Authority manages the contract.
Sean Logan, chairman of the PA Turnpike Commission, said the most likely cause of the crack was rapidly-changing weather conditions, but that a complete analysis was prudent and necessary, aside simply assessing the fracture’s impact on the bridge.
“We are stabilizing the bridge now to prevent further movement,” Logan wrote. “However, out of an abundance of caution and to protect traveler safety, the bridge must remain closed until a full-scale analysis and repair plan have been completed.”
The four-lane bridge opened in 1956 and carries about 42,000 vehicles per day across the Delaware River.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Traffic Rerouted at East Terminus
Drivers On New Jersey Turnpike’s Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension Also Impacted
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and New Jersey Turnpike Authority have announced the Delaware River Bridge between Pennsylvania and New Jersey will remain closed for as long as two weeks, and perhaps longer, while a structural assessment is performed on the span, the commission announced late Saturday. Both agencies, which jointly own and maintain the span, decided to close the bridge Friday after a crack was discovered in one of the bridge trusses. New Jersey Turnpike officials closed the westbound lanes of the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension, as well, which connects the mainline of the NJ Turnpike to the DRB.
Stabilization work continues to enhance the structure of the bridge; however, authorities announced Saturday, in a written news release, a full assessment must be completed to determine how the truss defect has impacted the remainder of the bridge structure. “Due to the significant fracture, stresses have been redistributed to other parts of the bridge,” said PA Turnpike Chief Engineer Brad Heigel. “We regret the inconvenience of closing the bridge, however, it is necessary to properly evaluate the bridge’s current condition and determine next steps to ensure the safety to our customers.”
Authorities said the two-week assessment may take longer, depending on what authorities are able to learn. “Until more is understood about the damage, it is not possible to estimate how many days or weeks the bridge will need to be closed while the permanent fix is made,” officials wrote.
Officials with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority released an advisory that notified media and the public the repair of the structure will involve the construction of eight towers to help temporarily support the weight of the bridge. “Jacks will be used to attempt to lift the structure back into its original position,” the NJ Turnpike Authority announced in its advisory. “Sensors will be installed to enable engineers to monitor the load at key points on the structure.”
The fracture was discovered on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River Bridge during a routine check of the span by a painting crew on Friday.
The 1.2-mile span opened in 1956. About 42-thousand vehicles cross the span each day, according to officials with the agencies.
Eastbound Detour (Pennsylvania to New Jersey)
PA Turnpike motorists heading east into New Jersey should use this revised alternate route: Exit at the Bensalem Interchange, #351 in Bucks County. Follow U.S. Route 1 north, to I-95 north, to I-295, south, to I-195 east. Take Exit 6 on I-195, and reenter the NJ Turnpike. Source: PA Turnpike Commission.
Westbound Detour (New Jersey to Pennsylvania)
NJTP drivers heading west into Pennsylvania will need to use either Interstate 78, Interstate 295, or the Burlington-Bristol Bridge. Source: New Jersey Turnpike Authority.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will close the Bayonne Bridge to all traffic this morning at 9 a.m., and will reopen the span at 3 p.m. this afternoon. The bridge will close again at 7 p.m. this evening, and it will remain closed until 5 a.m. tomorrow. Identical closures will impact traffic on Thursday.
The daytime closure will also be in place Friday, the Port Authority announced, but the overnight closure will not be in effect Friday night.
In brief, the closures are as follows:
Wednesday, October 12, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and again from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Thursday
Thursday, October 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and again from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. Friday
Friday, October 14, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
All traffic will be diverted to the Goethals Bridge during the closures.
Construction on the George Washington Bridge, at and near the GWB Bus Station, will force the overnight closures of all eastbound lanes of the GWB from October 12 through October 14, 2016, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced. Westbound lanes will also be affected, and through October 15. However, some traffic leaving New York will be permitted on the lower levels.
The eastbound closures begin at 9 p.m. tonight and Thursday, and will be lifted by 5 a.m. The Friday night closures will begin at 10 p.m. and be lifted Saturday morning at 8 a.m. Moreover, the Friday night closure will include the eastbound lower expressway, the Port Authority announced on its website. The expressway will close at midnight Friday and reopen Saturday morning at 5 a.m.
Officials also announced lane restrictions on the eastbound lower-level exit to Hudson Parkway (Route 9A) and Riverside Drive, but the exit will be open.
The westbound lower expressway lanes will also be impacted; however, some lanes will remain open during overnight construction work. Westbound lane restrictions Wednesday and Thursday night will begin at 10 p.m. and end the following morning at 5. The Friday and Saturday night restrictions will be in effect from midnight to 8 a.m. the following day.
The Port Authority is already warning of significant delays as a result of the restrictions.
A breakdown of the closures is shown below.
Eastbound
GWB Lower level, full closures:
Wednesday, October 12, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thu.
Thursday, October 13, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Fri.
Friday, October 14, from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. Sat.
GWB Lower expressway, full closures:
Friday, October 14, from 11:59 p.m. until 5 a.m. Sat.
GWB Lower level exit restrictions:
Exit 1 to Hudson Parkway
Thursday, October 14, from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. Fri.
Firday, October 15, from 11:59 p.m. until 8 a.m. Sat.
Westbound
GWB Lower level, lane restrictions:
Two lanes closed westbound.
Wednesday, October 12, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thu.
Thursday, October 13, from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Fri.
Friday, October 14, from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. Sat.
Saturday, October 15, from 10 p.m. until 8 a.m. Sun.
The Goethals Bridge between New Jersey and Staten Island will be closing tonight at 10 p.m., the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced. The closure begins Friday night, October 7, at 10 p.m. and continues through Saturday morning, to 8 a.m.
Officials have opened the Bayonne Bridge for the duration of the Columbus Day weekend, and the Outerbridge Crossing, to the south, is an alternate route.
Overnight Closures Impact Orangewood Boulevard and Universal Boulevard
The Florida Department of Transportation announced the overnight closures of some of the entrance and exit ramps to Orangewood and Universal Boulevards. Both roads share the same exit, with Universal Boulevard running north from the Beachline Expressway, while Orangewood Boulevard runs to the south.
The road closures will impact the southbound lanes of Universal/Orangewood Boulevard at the Beachline Expressway interchange, where construction crews are setting beams as part of a road widening project. As a result, drivers traveling southbound on Universal Boulevard will not be able to take the eastbound entrance ramp for the Beachline, and drivers traveling westbound on the toll road will not be able to exit to the southbound lanes of Universal/Orangewood Boulevard.
The closures are scheduled to last overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning only.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced the Bayonne Bridge will be closing weekdays this week to accommodate continued construction, as part of the Navigational Clearance Project.
Bridge closures will affect all traffic across the bridge between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday this week, and overnight closures on the bridge will affect traffic from 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. until Friday morning.
Officials with the PANYNJ plan to keep the Bayonne Bridge open through the Columbus Day weekend, beginning at 3 p.m. this Friday, October 7.
The Bayonne Bridge is currently undergoing a multi-year reconstruction that will raise the span to accommodate larger sea vessels. The Raise The Road Project, as it is dubbed by the port authority, is scheduled for completion in 2019.
Work on exit ramps at the Clifton, New Jersey exit off the Garden State Parkway will continue nightly, according to an official at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The night work will continue to result in overnight ramp closures, indefinitely, the official said.
Overnight closures began Tuesday night, September 21, at GSP Exit 154. The closures begin nightly at 8 p.m. and continue through 6 a.m. the following morning.
The alternate route to Clifton and surrounding communities is to take GSP Exit 153, to the south. If one is trying to get to U.S. 46 going eastbound, Exit 157, to the north, is an alternate option.