Route 18 overnight lane closures necessary as pavement preservation project begins in Middlesex County

Inlet and storm water grate upgrades start tonight

(Trenton) - New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) officials today announced the start of a pavement preservation project along nearly three miles of Route 18 in both directions between Route 27, New Brunswick, and Buckingham Drive, Piscataway in Middlesex County.

Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, August 28 until 6 a.m. the next morning, August 29, NJDOT’s contractor, Joseph Defino Contracting Company, is scheduled to close the right lane of Route 18 southbound, beginning at Buckingham Drive, Piscataway, and continuing for approximately two miles, to start work on inlet upgrades, as necessary.

Storm water grate and inlet upgrade work will continue at 10 p.m. on Thursday, August 29 until 6 a.m. the next morning, Friday, August 30, requiring a right lane closure on Route 18 northbound beginning at the intersection of Route 18 and Route 27 heading back towards Buckingham Drive. In addition, during the same time and location, the road will be milled and paved with High Performance Thin Overlay (HPTO) for approximately one-quarter mile.

Next week, beginning at 8 p.m., Tuesday, September 3 until 6 a.m. the next morning, and again from 8 p.m., Wednesday, September 4, until 6 a.m. the next morning, the contractor will shift traffic and close one lane on Avenue E, between Davidson Road to Metlars Lane for milling and paving.  At least one lane of travel will be maintained at all times during the project and all lanes will be reopened each morning.

Milling and paving on Route 18 will begin later in September and require temporary overnight traffic shifts and closures. The work will alternate between Route 18 northbound and Route 18 southbound and last through the fall.  At least one lane of travel will be maintained at all times during the project and all lanes will be reopened each morning.
 
The $4.7 million federally-funded Route 18 at Route 27 to Buckingham Drive pavement preservation project will extend the pavement life, improve safety and enhance ride quality for motorists. Substandard inlets and curb pieces will be upgraded as necessary and rumble strips will be applied.  Ramps within the project limit also will be resurfaced in spring, 2020. The project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2020.

Variable message signs are being used throughout the project limits to provide advance notification to motorists of all traffic pattern changes associated with the pavement preservation 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 and on the NJDOT Facebook page.