Portion of Route 36 in Long Branch To Be Closed For 12 Days

A portion of Route 36 (Joline Avenue) in Long Branch will be closed for up to 12 days as the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) makes railroad-crossing repairs.

Route 36 will be fully closed to traffic at the railroad crossing just east of Washington Street starting around 9 a.m. on Thursday, April 12. The closure will remain in place through Tuesday, April 24, but NJDOT officials say the highway could be reopened sooner if the repair work is finished earlier than scheduled.

The Long Branch Police have coordinated two detour results as a result of the construction.

Motorists heading east (northbound) on Route 36 will be directed to take Branchport Avenue north to Atlantic Avenue east to Route 36 eastbound.

Motorists heading west (southbound) on Route 36 will be directed to take 7th Avenue north to Atlantic Avenue west to Branchport Avenue to Route 36 westbound.

The NJDOT said access will be maintained to businesses and residential properties on either side of the rail line.

The $282,000 project will involved the replacement of the existing crossing with a new concrete rail crossing. Crews will also repave the asphalt approaches to "provide a safer and smoother driving surface," according to NJDOT.

This project is one of 30 NJDOT railroad grade-crossing safety programs that will repair, upgrade or remove crossings each year on state and local roads.

The NJDOT states that weather and other factors may impact the timing of the work and that motorists should check NJDOT’s traffic information website for construction updates and real-time travel information.