Route 202 is ’emergency,’ will get fixed even as other road projects halt

Repairs to Route 202 in Bernardsville will take place regardless of the general suspension of spending from the state Transportation Trust Fund.

“This would fall under emergency and the work would get done," NJ Department of Transportation spokesman Kevin Israel said of the two-lane road, which was closed between Whitenack Road and Douglass Avenue on Sunday after a pothole was found along the side of the road.

A NJ DOT structural evaluation team inspected the bridge on Monday and found damage to a bridge abutment.

“We believe that the damage resulted from the heavy rains and localized flooding in the area this weekend," Israel said. The evaluation team continues to determine the extent of the damage and the best course of action to make repairs, according to Israel.

There was no road work being done on the road at the time of the damage.

"This bridge was not on our structurally deficient list," Israel said.

The DOT has put detours in place:

• Route 202 southbound: Traffic will be directed to turn left on Meeker Road, then left on Pill Hill, then right on Mt. Airy Road/Whitenack Road and left back onto Route 202 southbound
• Route 202 northbound: Traffic will be directed to turn right onto Whitenack Road, then left onto Meeker Road, and right back onto Route 202 northbound

Bernardsville Police said Route 202 southbound is open to local traffic at the closure point of Douglass Avenue.

Israel did not known how long the road will remain closed and said the length of the closure will depend on weather and other factors.

A statement from the DOT cited repairs to Route 202 as an example of unexpected road work that the remaining TTF funds would be used to fund.

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