Route 71 Bridge Over Shark River to be Closed Several Nights This Week

The New Jersey Department of Transportation will close the Route 71 bridge spanning the Shark River for three consecutive nights this week, Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty reports.

The bridge will be left in the open position beginning 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 19 until 6 a.m. Wednesday, July 20 --  and again during those same hours Wednesday night into Thursday morning, according to a press release by the state DOT. 

Doherty said the bridge may also be closed on Thursday night if necessary.

The bridge will be closed for safety testing of newly installed bridge operating equipment, according to the DOT. 

Traffic will be detoured to the Route 35 bridge, located one block west of the Route 71/Mains Street bridge. Another alternative is the The Ocean Avenue bridge, six blocks to the east of Route 71/Main Street bridge. 

This closing comes in the wake of nearly eight months of continuous closure on the span.

The bridge closed in October as the DOT began a multi-million dollar rehabilitation of the crossing's mechanical and electrical systems.

Aside from a one day opening for the Belmar-Lake Como St. Patrick's Day Parade, the span remained closed until May. While DOT officials had originally suggested that the bridge would not be fully operational until July, prodding from local elected officials and legislators allowed the project to be completed in time for Memorial Day Weekend.