Route 52 Causeway Opened

Officials on Friday opened the $400 million Route 52 Causeway in south Jersey in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.

The causeway links Somers Point in Atlantic County with Ocean City in Cape May County.

The causeway provides wider lanes. It also includes shoulders and a 10-foot-wide walkway. The old causeway had no walkway and no shoulders to accommodate disabled or emergency vehicles.

The project also included the replacement of two lift bridges at either end of the causeway with fixed spans to allow boat traffic to pass without the need to stop motor vehicles.

Construction on the causeway portion of the project between the two bridges began in late 2006 and was completed in 2009. Work on the bridges was completed earlier this month.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)