The Route 52 Causeway Bridge leading to Ocean City.
The sidewalk that provides safe access for pedestrians and bicyclists across the Route 52 Causeway bridge between Ocean City and Somers Point will be closed down beginning Monday for a repair project.
New Jersey Department of Transportation construction crews will replace the existing sidewalk with a new one. The work is expected to begin Monday morning and will continue through Friday afternoon. Construction will be done each day from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Pedestrians and bikers are not supposed to walk or ride on the Causeway during the sidewalk’s reconstruction. Normally, the sidewalk provides a safe route for walkers and cyclists to cross the two-mile Causeway because it is separated by a barrier from the regular lanes of motor vehicle traffic.
“If work is completed earlier, the sidewalk and shoulder will be reopened sooner. Pedestrians and cyclists are advised not to use the Causeway during construction for their safety,” the NJDOT said in a news release.
In addition, the Causeway’s southbound shoulder will be closed during the sidewalk work to improve work zone safety.
The project is part of a $4 million maintenance contract that will repair and upgrade sidewalks and curb ramps on Route 30 in Atlantic County and Route 52 in Cape May County. Construction on the sidewalks and curb ramps is expected to be completed by late spring 2026, the NJDOT said.
Once the work is completed, the sidewalks and curb ramps will comply with the standards of the Americans With Disabilities Act.
The bridge's decorative lighting is changed from time to time to celebrate special events or sports championships. (Photo courtesy of ACT Engineers Inc.)Separately, the NJDOT is doing a $3 million project to rehabilitate the decorative lighting along the Causeway. The lights have been turned off temporarily while the work is being done.
“Once work on the lighting system is completed, NJDOT will continue to work with the community to illuminate the bridge for special events. The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors,” according to the release.
The NJDOT is in control of the causeway lighting, but one state lawmaker wants Ocean City to take charge of it. Assemblyman Antwan McClellan, who lives in Ocean City, believes that the city – not the NJDOT – should decide what color the decorative lights should be on the Causeway.
McClellan noted that Ocean City wants to change the color of the lights from time to time to celebrate sports championships or special events. For instance, McClellan would like to see red lights illuminating the bridge, if the Ocean City High School Red Raiders win a sports championship, to reflect the school’s main color scheme.
The city can request the NJDOT to change the color of the bridge lights once per month. McClellan believes the city should not have to wait for the NJDOT’s permission to change the lights.
“A big problem is that bridge over there with the lights that we controlled for 12 years. The DOT has taken that control from the city. They want the city to notify them 30 days to 45 days before they change the lights to a different color,” McClellan said in remarks during an Ocean City Regional Chamber of Commerce legislative forum on Oct. 16.
State Assemblyman Antwan McClellan believes that Ocean City should be given control over the bridge's decorative lighting.McClellan said the NJDOT requirement “makes no sense” and is an example of “government overreach.”
“It’s just a pain in the butt. Who knows when Ocean City wins another state championship – and they win many – that we have to notify them 35 days in advance that we want to change the lights red to represent our kids,” he said.
McClellan told the Chamber forum that the city is “fighting with the DOT” to regain control of the lights and plans to talk to Gov. Phil Murphy in hopes that he will intervene in Ocean City’s favor.
“They want to blame Ocean City for replacing the lights. Those lights are 15 years old, 12 years old, somewhere around there. We didn’t do anything to the lights. The lights are fine,” McClellan said.
“Allow us to control our own lights,” he continued. “It’s government overreach. There’s no reason why we can’t control our lights, like we’ve done in the past. It’s a beautiful thing. A lot of people love it. As a city, we should be able to control that. So, we’re going to work on getting that taken care of. Hopefully, that will be sooner than later.”
