Pulaksi Skyway to close Saturday for road work

The Pulaski Skyway will be fully closed in both directions for most of Saturday as rehabilitation of the 88-year-old bridge continues.

The bridge is scheduled to close at 11 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday for two separate projects that require the bridge to be elevated.

In one location, temporary supports will be installed on the east side of Central Avenue in Kearny to allow for the replacement of the existing bridge pier. In a second location, the structural steel rocker bents will be replaced over Broadway and Halleck Streets at Route 1&9 Truck in Jersey City.

The project depends on the weather. New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow is calling for up to three inches of snow Saturday morning before turning to sleet and rain.

Drivers can expect heavy delays in the Tonnele Circle area.

The posted detours:

Northbound Closure and Detour: The northbound closure will begin past Newark Liberty International Airport with the Route 1&9 Express Lanes being closed and all traffic directed onto the local lanes. Traffic will follow Route 1&9 Truck northbound to the intersection of Route 7 and Route 1&9 Truck in Jersey City.
Northbound motorists heading to Hoboken, Jersey City or New York City also may use the New Jersey Turnpike-Hudson County Extension.
Southbound Closure and Detour: The southbound closure will begin south of the Tonnele Circle, with the ramp from the Tonnele Circle to the Skyway closed. Traffic coming from Route 139 will be directed to the off ramp to I-280/Route 7 and Route 1&9 southbound.
Traffic on Route 1&9 south heading toward Tonnele Circle is encouraged to stay right and use the ramp to Route 1&9 Truck.

Southbound Detour (toward Newark):

Leaving the Holland Tunnel, motorists will have the following options:

Stay to the far right and take the New Jersey Turnpike-Hudson County Extension to all destinations west and south, including Route 78 – This is the recommended option.
Stay to the left and follow signs for Route 139 West, then stay left to Route 1&9 Truck southbound towards Newark, Route 7 and 280.

Local Traffic for Jersey City:

the $1 billion rehabilitation of the bridge started in 2013 necessitated by years of exposure to water, salt, and harsh weather that caused severe corrosion to critical components of the steel bridge deck.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ