Route 71 Shark River Bridge closure to snarl traffic for months Dan Alexander Published: October 10, 2025 Shark River Bridge in the open position 6/14/25 (Bud McCormick)

🚧 The Shark River Bridge between Belmar & Avon closes again Tuesday

🚧 The closure will remain until at least February

🚧 NJDOT offering free daily shuttle service 8 a.m.–8 p.m. during closure

BELMAR — The Route 71 bridge over the Shark River will close again to complete repairs that started in June.

The bridge that connects Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea will be closed again to vehicles and pedestrians by the NJ DOT starting Tuesday to complete work on the south bridge leaf that allows the 93-year-old bridge to be raised and lowered.

It suffered a mechanical failure on June 13, but interim repairs on the conc

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