Construction crews started work Thursday on the New Jersey bound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge as part of a $71 million project.

The first phase of a $71 million, three-part construction project to rehabilitate the bridge deck of the New Jersey bound span of the Delaware Memorial Bridge started Thursday. the work will result in two lanes being closed through November.

Two right lanes of the northbound span will be continuously closed through Nov. 22, just before the Thanksgiving holiday, to replace the bridge deck and expansion joints, said Delaware River and Bay Authority officials.

Construction will be suspended during the winter months and the peak summer travel season, officials said.

“Using hydro demolition, two inches of the old deck will be removed, and an Ultra High-Performance Concrete deck overlay added,” said David A. Hoppenjans, the authority’s chief engineer. “The work will completely resurface the New Jersey bound span with completion anticipated in 2023.”

The work is being done by UHPC Solutions North America, LLC of Orange.

To handle traffic volume, a bypass lane has been created to divert passenger car traffic around the construction zone. This bypass lane channels traffic to the exterior lane of the Delaware bound span and is for passenger cars bound for the New Jersey Turnpike only. Commercial vehicles are not permitted to use the bypass lane.

The remaining three lanes of the Delaware bound span will remain open to traffic.

An additional third lane on the New Jersey bound side will be closed down during overnight hours for concrete pouring operations. The remaining lanes on the New Jersey bound bridge will remain open to traffic.

A bridge deck study conducted on the New Jersey bound lanes found that deterioration of the surface had accelerated and needed substantial repairs. A partial depth deck reconstruction utilizing Ultra High-Performance Concrete technology is the most effective solution and is cheaper than a full bridge deck replacement, officials said.

For the latest in traffic information and project updates, follow the bridge on Twitter @demembridge or sign up for text alerts at www.bridgealerts.com.

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Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com.

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