STAFFORD — Two infrastructure projects tied to Route 72 are set to begin Monday, March 23, including emergency water main repairs near the bridge to Long Beach Island and the start of a long-planned stormwater basin expansion in Ocean Acres.
George Harms Construction Co. Inc. is scheduled to mobilize for an emergency water main repair beneath the Route 72 Bridge between Bonnet Island and Ship Bottom. Township officials said the work will take place from a floating barge in the waterway, with no traffic disruptions expected because the repairs are below the bridge deck.
The work is considered urgent because Bonnet Island is currently being supplied by a single water line. Officials said the repairs are intended to restore redundancy so the island has a backup means of service.
Boaters could face short-term access limits in the navigation channel while the work is underway. The repair project is expected to take about 30 days, depending on weather. Officials also thanked Ship Bottom for allowing use of a parking lot for staging materials.
At the same time, contractor Earle will begin construction on the Neptune Basin expansion, a flood-control project on the south side of Route 72 at Neptune Drive in Ocean Acres.
Township officials said the project is meant to reduce persistent flooding in nearby neighborhoods and help protect Route 72, the main evacuation route for Long Beach Island and nearby communities. The work includes a new stormwater basin and a connection beneath Route 72 that will direct excess runoff into the new basin instead of allowing water to collect on the roadway.
The project carries $4.4 million in FEMA funding as part of a broader hazard-mitigation effort. Construction is expected to continue through late 2026 or early 2027.
Drivers are not expected to face major lane disruptions at the outset, but officials said motorists should watch for possible shoulder closures or changing traffic patterns near the Neptune Drive intersection as work progresses.
