Lane closure set on I-78 Exit 29 ramp as bridge replacement advances in Somerset County
SOMERSET COUNTY, N.J. — The right lane of the I-78 westbound Exit 29 ramp to I-287 will close for about a week beginning Monday as bridge deck replacement work continues in Bedminster and Bridgewater townships, the New Jersey Department of Transportation announced.
The lane closure will begin at 12 p.m. Monday, December 1, and remain in place until 5 p.m. Sunday, December 7. One lane will stay open throughout construction, and access to both I-287 northbound and southbound will be maintained. NJDOT said the closure is needed to pour and cure new concrete for the bridge deck over Routes 202/206.
Motorists should expect slowdowns and are urged to use caution in the work zone.
Two through lanes on I-78 westbound will continue to operate on a temporary roadway and bridge built over Routes 202/206 as part of the long-term project. NJDOT said an oversized-truck detour already in place will remain active through early 2026. The restrictions apply to vehicles 8.5 feet wide or more and those weighing more than 40 tons.
Oversized vehicles traveling westbound from the New Jersey Turnpike must take Exit 48 to Route 24 westbound, follow Route 24 to I-287 southbound, and use Exit 21B to return to I-78 westbound. Oversized vehicles entering I-78 westbound between Exits 45 and 33 must instead access I-78 eastbound and follow the same detour via Route 24 and I-287.
Vehicles entering westbound between Exits 45 and 36 will be directed to use Exit 33 to make a U-turn onto I-78 eastbound and follow the detour from there.
NJDOT said the detour is required because of the current work-zone configuration, which shifts the two left westbound lanes onto a temporary bridge over Washington Valley Road. A single right lane remains in a narrowed cattle chute to allow demolition and reconstruction of the bridge’s right side. All available lanes remain through lanes.
The $67 million federally funded project will replace the aging eastbound and westbound bridge decks that carry I-78 over Routes 202/206 and Washington Valley Road. Plans also call for updated guiderail, new approach slabs and roadway resurfacing within the project limits. Work is scheduled to be completed by late spring 2026.
Variable message signs will alert motorists to traffic pattern changes. NJDOT advised that the schedule is weather-dependent.
Drivers can check www.511nj.org for real-time traffic information and construction updates.
