Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) officials announced that with the final phase of the major construction project to rehabilitate the bridge deck (driving surface) of the New Jersey bound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge (DMB) now underway, the two right lanes of the northbound span will be continuously closed until just before the Thanksgiving holiday. The bypass lane for northbound traffic on the Delaware bound span is open.
“We’re coming into the final stretch of this project,” said DRBA Chief Engineer David A. Hoppenjans, “and we thank our customers for their continued patience and understanding as we work as diligently as we can to wrap up this project.”
Hoppenjans noted that with the completion of this phase in late November, the deck overlay project is expected to be substantially complete.
Two lanes on the New Jersey bound structure will be closed to traffic through November 21, with an additional third lane occasionally shut down during the overnight hours for construction-related operations. The remaining lanes on the New Jersey bound structure will be open to traffic.
To accommodate anticipated traffic volumes, a bypass lane has been established to divert some traffic around the construction zone. This bypass lane, which channels traffic to the exterior lane of the Delaware bound span, is recommended for passenger cars bound for the New Jersey Turnpike only. Commercial vehicles are not permitted to use the bypass lane. The remaining three lanes of the Delaware bound span will be open for southbound traffic.
While the project has been designed to minimize traffic delays to the extent possible, motorists may encounter them, particularly during rush hour time periods and peak weekend travel times. For the latest in traffic information and project updates, follow the Bridge on X (formerly known as Twitter) @demembridge or sign up for text alerts at bridgealerts.com.
In March 2022, the DRBA contracted with UHPC Solutions North America LLC of Orange, New Jersey to undertake the deck overlay project on the New Jersey-bound Span of the DMB. The three-phase project has a pricetag of approximately $71 million.
The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May- Lewes Ferry, and the Forts Ferry Crossing. The DRBA also manages corporate and aviation properties through its economic development powers—two airports in New Jersey (Millville Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (New Castle Airport, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities. For more information, visit drba.net.
