Route 71 Bridge over Shark River closed for emergency repairs

BELMAR — The Route 71 bridge over Shark River connecting Belmar and Avon-By-The-Sea remains closed to vehicular traffic indefinitely due to emergency repairs, but the channel has been reopened to marine traffic.

According to a traffic advisory release from the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), the bridge experienced a mechanical failure on its South leaf and was then closed to marine and vehicular traffic on Friday night, June 13. 

The channel was reopened to marine traffic on Saturday afternoon after the South leaf was raised and secured, according to an update Monday from Sandra Opoku, regional coordinator for the NJDOT. In the updated advisory, Opoku stated that the bridge will remain in the fully open position to allow all marine traffic to pass through until emergency repairs are complete, but the North leaf, which was repaired last year, will be lowered and raised periodically to maintain functionality and minimize stress to the components.

Route 71 will remain closed and detoured to vehicles and pedestrians until further notice, according to the update. NJDOT is legally obligated under federal law to allow marine traffic to pass through the channel, as marine traffic has the right of way.

A timeline for repairs to the bridge, built in 1932, has not yet been determined. “NJDOT’s structural evaluation and drawbridge engineering teams are in the process of determining the extent of necessary repairs and designing a permanent repair as quickly as possible,” the update stated.

In March 2024, the bridge experienced a similar mechanical malfunction to its North bridge leaf that left the bridge non-operational and closed to vehicular traffic past Memorial Day Weekend. According to the traffic advisory, the North bridge leaf that was repaired last year is operational.

NJDOT has a capital project in design to replace the 93-year-old bridge. Final design is expected to begin next year, with construction expected to start in 2028 and finish in 2031, according to the NJDOT.

Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT’s traffic information website, 511nj.org, for construction updates and real-time travel information.

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