Morris Avenue bridge replacement begins August 6 in Denville, forcing two-month detour
Morris County is scheduled to begin replacing the deteriorated driving deck on the Morris Avenue Bridge over Beaver Brook in Denville Township on or about August 6, 2026. The project will close Morris Avenue to through traffic on weekdays and send drivers around an approximately three-mile detour.
The county announcement, issued July 27, says construction is planned from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on regular business days, Monday through Friday. The work is expected to last approximately two months, weather permitting. The notice does not provide a specific completion date, so the schedule may change.
What the closure means for drivers
A signed detour will direct motorists around the bridge using Ford Road and Kitchell Road. Drivers who normally use Morris Avenue through the work area should allow additional travel time during the weekday construction period and follow the posted detour signs.
Truck traffic is advised to use Route 80 as an alternate route rather than the local detour. The routing guidance is intended to help larger vehicles avoid the temporary closure and the local streets used by the signed detour.
Access to Morris Catholic High School and local businesses is expected to remain open during construction. That means the county notice does not call for the school or nearby businesses to close, although people traveling to those destinations will encounter the changed road pattern and weekday through-traffic restriction.
Why the bridge is being replaced
The bridge is a single-span, prestressed-concrete structure built in 1958. Morris County identifies the deteriorated concrete driving surface and recurring potholes as the reason for replacing the deck.
The county also says the bridge is structurally sound. The project should therefore not be described as a response to a finding that the bridge is unsafe or structurally deficient. The work is focused on replacing the worn driving surface while the structure remains described as sound in the county notice.
Contract and next steps
Morris County is funding the $352,725 contract, which was awarded to CMS Construction of Plainfield. The next known step is the planned start on or about August 6, followed by weekday construction during the approximately two-month, weather-dependent work period.
For Denville residents, commuters, school families and nearby businesses, the immediate practical effect will be a temporary weekday closure on Morris Avenue and the added travel associated with the Ford Road and Kitchell Road detour. The county has not announced a firm final completion date in the approved notice.
Sources
- Morris Avenue Bridge Deck Replacement Begins Next Week, Morris County, New Jersey
- Sheriff Sale – 72 Summit Drive, Denville, NJ 07834, Morris County, New Jersey
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