I-78 eastbound weekend lane closures needed as rockfall mitigation project advances in Hunterdon County
Right shoulder to be restored after November 1
BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP, NJ (Hunterdon County) – New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials Thursday announced weekend lane closures on I-78 eastbound through October 31 as a rockfall mitigation project advances in Bethlehem Township.
There will be single lane closures on I-78 eastbound west of Exit 11 – Route 173/W Portal/Pattenburg from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and two eastbound lanes will be closed overnight beginning at 9:00 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights through October 31. At least one lane will remain open.
The closures are necessary for rock scaling work. If blasting is needed on Saturday or Sunday, I-78 will be temporarily closed in both directions for up to 20 minutes each morning from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturdays and 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sundays. New Jersey State Police will be assisting with the temporary closures.
In addition to the temporary daytime closures that will continue Monday through Friday, there will be overnight lane closures through the end of October as well. A single lane on I-78 eastbound will be closed Monday through Friday beginning at 7:00 p.m. and a second lane will be closed beginning at 9:00 p.m. All lanes will be reopened by 5:00 a.m.
After November 1, all lanes in both directions will remain open and construction barrier will be repositioned to restore a 12-foot right shoulder for the winter.
The $29.8 million federally-funded project will mitigate rockfall hazards along a section of I-78 eastbound and westbound between milepost 9.96 and milepost 10.55. It includes rock scaling to cut back the slope and excavation to widen the catch area to prevent rocks from potentially reaching the highway. In addition, there will be drainage improvements.
The project is anticipated to be complete by fall 2023.
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 for construction updates and real-time travel information.
