AVALON, NJ -- On Wednesday and Thursday nights, March 10th and 11th 2021, the Ingram’s Thorofare Bridge will be closed between the hours of 7:00 pm thru 5:00 am due to ongoing construction.
As a result, Avalon Boulevard (C.R. 601) will be closed to thru traffic during these hours. The roadway and bridge will re-open after those hours and remain open thereafter. In addition, during the hours of 9:00 am through 5:00 pm on March 10 and March 11, there will be brief times when the active lane of the bridge will be closed for a period of no more than 15 minutes in order to allow for the discharge of concrete trucks. Traffic backups will be minimized through the use of traffic directors who will override the existing traffic signals in order to balance traffic waits, however, motorists are advised that there may be longer than usual wait times during those days.
Residents scheduled to get their Covid vaccine at the Avalon Community Hall on Wednesday, March 10, and Thursday, March 11, 2021, are recommended to travel through Stone Harbor or Sea Isle City to get to the Avalon site or to allow extra travel time to deal with the delay in getting over the bridge on Avalon Boulevard.
Motorists heading south on Route 9 and wishing to access Avalon via Avalon Boulevard will be required to continue heading south along Route 9 until they arrive at the Stone Harbor Boulevard intersection (C.R. 657). They will then be directed east along Stone Harbor Boulevard/ 96th Street to Third Avenue (C.R. 619) in Stone Harbor. They will then be directed north along C.R. 619 to Avalon. Traffic exiting the Garden State Parkway at exit 13 and wishing to head east to Avalon will be directed west to Route 9 to follow the same detour. Northbound traffic approaching Stone Harbor Boulevard and wishing to access Avalon will be directed onto Stone Harbor Boulevard at exit 10.
Motorists heading north along Route 9 wishing to access Avalon via Avalon Boulevard will be directed to head east at the Stone Harbor Boulevard intersection. Once in Stone Harbor, motorists will be directed north along Third Avenue (C.R. 619) toward Avalon. Traffic on the barrier islands wishing to utilize Avalon Boulevard to access the Garden State Parkway or Route 9 will be directed south on C.R. 619 to 96th Street, where they will be directed west along Stone Harbor Boulevard to Route 9 and the Parkway.
Local traffic will be permitted to access Avalon Boulevard up to the Ingram’s Thorofare Bridge from either side, but will not be permitted to cross the bridge. Please note that due to the current load restriction of the 96th Street Bridge (C.R. 657), vehicles over 15 tons will not be able to access Stone Harbor/ Avalon until traffic resumes on the Ingram’s Thorofare bridge at 5:00 am the following mornings. Please plan accordingly and obey all traffic control devices and speed limits.
After the bridge reopens to traffic, motorists are urged to abide by the temporary traffic signals. There has been an increase in motorists running the red lights. The results of this action could lead to a head-on collision and possible death. Motorists are advised that the police will be stepping up enforcement to catch violators.