Route 15 South to Close Tonight and Over the Weekend
Published on March 02, 2021
Route 15 southbound is scheduled to be closed tonight, beginning at 9 p.m., as work continues on the Weldon Road Bridge overpass in Jefferson Township, and it will be closed again this coming weekend.
Southbound lanes will be closed and detours put into place at the exit ramp to Route 181 until 5 a.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3, as the New Jersey Department of Transportation's contractor, Mount Construction, continues the removal of a portion of the bridge deck. The work had begun last Friday, but was not completed because of inclement weather.
The construction of a U-turn for emergency vehicles on Route 15 north of the bridge was completed on Friday. The following detours will be in place overnight:
Route 15 southbound detour:
- Motorists on Route 15 southbound will be directed to take the exit for Route 181, just past Mile Post 7.6
- Turn left at the stop sign onto Route 181 south/Woodport Road
- Turn right onto Espanong Road
- Turn left onto Edison Road/CR615
- Take the ramp to Route 15 south
The Weldon Road Bridge over Route 15 was closed on December 20 because of cracks in two beams. At the time of the bridge closure, Route 15 southbound was closed as well. The left lane on Route 15 southbound was reopened on December 23.
This weekend, Friday March 5 through Sunday, March 7, Route 15 southbound is scheduled to be closed to complete the demolition of a portion of the bridge over Route 15 southbound by removing two cracked girders and two adjacent girders. NJDOT will provide advanced notification before the closures.
Once the demolition of the damaged portion of the bridge is complete, all lanes on Route 15 southbound will be reopened. In addition, NJDOT will continue to evaluate the stability of the remaining portion of the bridge that carries Weldon Road west/Espanong Road east over Route 15. If the bridge is deemed safe, the bridge will reopen with one lane of traffic in each direction. The ramp from Weldon Road west to Route 15 south also will be reopened.
A long-term repair is in the process of being designed. The following detours will remain in place until further notice:
Route 15 southbound to Weldon Road east detour:
- Motorists on Route 15 southbound wishing to exit at Weldon Road will be directed to continue on Route 15 south
- Go through the traffic signal at Edison Road and take the U-turn exit just past the fire station
- Bear right onto Edison Road
- Go straight to cross Route 15
- At the next traffic signal, turn left onto Route 15 north
- Take the Weldon Road exit
Route 15 northbound to Route 181 north/Espanong Road west detour:
- Motorists on Route 15 northbound wishing to take the exit for Route 181 north/Espanong Road west will be directed to continue on Route 15 north
- Take the exit for Route 181
- Stay right following signs for Sparta/Lake Mohawk/Business District
- Turn left onto Route 181 south/Woodport Road
- Turn right onto Espanong Road
Weldon Road West to Route 15 south detour
- Motorists on Weldon Road west wishing to take the ramp to Route 15 southbound will be directed to take the ramp for Route 15 north, which is before the ramp to Route 15 south
- Take Route 15 north to the next exit for Route 181/Sparta/Lake Mohawk/Business District
- Stay right following signs for Sparta/Lake Mohawk/Business District
- Turn left onto Route 181 south/Woodport Road
- Turn right onto Espanong Road
- Turn left onto Edison Road/CR615
- Take the ramp to Route 15 south
The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website www.511nj.org for construction updates and real-time travel information. For NJDOT news follow them on Twitter @NewJerseyDOT and their Facebook page.