Route 78 roadwork will cause delays all week

It will be a slow ride on Route 78 this week, as lanes are closed during the day near Route 287 for a bridge project.

The work is part of a nearly $28 million project to replace both eastbound and westbound bridge decks over Route 202/Route 206 and Washington Valley Road, which are in poor condition, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. The work is designed to be done in stages to minimize impact on traffic and will be complete by the end of 2022.

The work is being done during the day over weather concerns, according to DOT spokesman Steve Schapiro.

"Lower temperatures overnight make paving work more difficult," Schapiro told New Jersey 101.5.

The schedule of lane closures this week:

Monday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Westbound right lane and shoulder closed for milling and paving.
Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Westbound right and center lanes closed
Wednesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Eastbound single-lane closure for milling and paving.

Route 22 is a good alternative around the multi-mile delays, expected to develop on Route 78.

All of the work is subject to weather and other factors that could change the schedule.

The DOT did not say why the work needed to be done during the day instead of the usual nights and overnights.

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