Route 166 to be closed Thursday night to remove work zone and reopen two lanes in each direction in Toms River

Moving operations and daytime lane closures can be expected

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced a Route 166 is scheduled to be closed and detoured in both directions overnight to remove the work zone and reopen two lanes in both directions as the Route 166 intersection safety improvements project nears completion in Toms River, Ocean County.

Beginning at 10 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, March 28 until 6 a.m. the next day, NJDOT’s contractor, New Prince Concrete, is scheduled to close Route 166 in both directions between Route 37 and Old Freehold Road to remove barriers and restripe the roadway in its final configuration. The following detour will be in place:

Route 166 northbound detour:

• Traffic wishing to use Route 166 northbound will be directed to take Route 37 east
• Turn left on Hooper Avenue
• Turn left on Mapletree Road
• Turn left on Old Freehold Road to Route 166

Route 166 southbound detour:

• Traffic on Route 166 southbound will be directed to turn left on Old Freehold
• Turn right on Mapletree Road
• Turn right on Hooper Avenue
• Turn right on Route 37 west to Route 166

Currently, Route 166 between Route 37 and Old Freehold Road has a center work zone with a single outer lane in each direction. By Friday morning, two lanes in each direction will be open. Final paving is expected to take place overnight in the next several weeks to complete the project.

The $11.7 million state-funded Route 166 intersection safety improvements project upgraded the intersection of Route 166 with Route 37 by installing a raised median barrier between opposing traffic, improved the roadway geometry, made traffic signal improvements between Highland Parkway and Old Freehold Road, and widened the roadway by constructing a new through lane on Route 166 northbound and southbound. In addition, the project will made drainage improvements, construct a retaining wall along the west side of Route 166 adjacent to the Dover Mall redevelopment and installed additional sign structures. The project began in March 2016, was suspended for several months in 2017 due to the TTF shutdown.

Variable message signs are in place throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the safety improvements project.

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 real-time travel information and for NJDOT news follow us on Twitter @NJDOT_info or on the NJDOT Facebook page.