Rockfall mitigation work shifts to Interstate 80 eastbound in Montville
(Trenton) - The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) today announced that rockfall mitigation operations will begin along Interstate 80 eastbound in Montville Township, Morris County as part of a $1.4 million project to remove loose rock and stabilize rocky outcrops at two separate locations along I-80.
On Saturday, May 14, NJDOT will close a 0.4-mile stretch of the right shoulder of I-80 eastbound, between mileposts 47.5 and 47.9, to establish a construction zone adjacent to the highway. Simultaneously, the right shoulder along I-80 westbound, in the same location, will be reopened because similar construction activity has just been completed there.
NJDOT’s contractor, Merco Inc., will install precast concrete construction barrier and remove existing guide rail to provide workers the space to maneuver.
Temporary single and double lane closures will be allowed on I-80 eastbound during off-peak hours. In addition, NJDOT will permit full roadway closures of all lanes on I-80 for rock scaling operations for 15-minute periods between midnight and 4 a.m., only as needed.
To ensure that rocks that could potentially fall do not end up on the highway, the contractor is constructing wire mesh slope protection on the face of the rock outcrop along both sides of Interstate 80 and installing new guide rail along the base of the rock embankments. Rock catch fences will also be installed along portions of the highway.
NJDOT began similar rockfall safety operations last October in Allamuchy and Frelinghuysen townships in Warren County.
Project completion in both Morris and Warren counties is anticipated in fall 2011.
Variable Message Signs will be used to inform motorists of traffic pattern changes during construction. NJDOT provides emergency roadway information, construction schedule updates and real time traffic information and images at www.511nj.org
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