The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has announced that the Pulaski Skyway will be fully closed in both directions from 11 p.m. on Friday, March 6 until 11 p.m. on Saturday, March 7. The closure is necessary to conduct pier and bearing work as part of ongoing rehabilitation efforts for the nearly century-old bridge in Newark.
According to NJDOT officials, this closure will also allow other construction operations to take place on sections of the Skyway in Kearny and Jersey City. The main objective is to transfer the weight of the bridge onto a new rocker bent at span 45 near railroad tracks in Jersey City. If work finishes ahead of schedule, the bridge may reopen earlier than planned.
Motorists are advised to use alternate routes during this period. NJDOT recommends using the New Jersey Turnpike-Hudson County Extension for all destinations, including access to the Holland Tunnel, I-78, or I-280/Route 7 and Route 1&9 Truck southbound. Other drivers will be directed to use Route 1&9 Truck in both directions.
For northbound traffic, closures begin past Newark Liberty International Airport with express lanes diverted onto local lanes and then routed via Route 1&9 Truck northbound toward key intersections in Jersey City. Motorists heading for Hoboken, Jersey City, or New York City can also use the New Jersey Turnpike-Hudson County Extension (I-78 eastbound).
Those accessing the Skyway northbound from Kearny will follow a detour via Adams Street, Second Street, Central Avenue, crossing over Route 1&9 Truck before merging back onto it northbound.
Southbound closures start over Tonnele Circle on Route 139 Lower Roadway. All traffic from Route 139 will be directed off toward I-280/Route 7 and Route 1&9 Truck southbound. The ramp from Tonnele Circle to Pulaski Skyway southbound will also close; drivers should stay right and use an earlier ramp to reach Route 1&9 Truck.
After leaving the Holland Tunnel heading southbound toward Newark, motorists have several options: taking the NJ Turnpike-Hudson County Extension (the recommended route), following signs for Route 139 westbound then left onto Route 1&9 Truck southbound towards Newark and connecting highways, or staying on local roads for access within Jersey City and points north such as Secaucus.
This weekend’s work falls under Contract 8B of a multi-phase rehabilitation project aimed at restoring the historic structure while coordinating with other regional infrastructure projects to limit congestion.
“The Department has a project hotline telephone number, 973-776-7400, and email,
Pulaski.Skyway@dot.nj.gov. Anyone who has questions, concerns, or suggestions is encouraged to contact
the Project Outreach Team as work progresses.”
“Variable Message Signs will provide advance notification to motorists of traffic pattern changes associated
with the work. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors.”
NJDOT encourages drivers seeking real-time travel updates to visit its traffic information website at www.511nj.org and follow updates through social media channels such as X (Twitter) @NewJerseyDOT, Facebook page NJDOT Facebook page or Instagram @NewJersey.DOT.
