Following the completion of interim repairs on the Route 71 Drawbridge, the span reopened Thursday evening.

The bridge runs over the Shark River between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea. On June 13, it suffered a mechanical failure on the South Bridge leaf.

Since that time, the bridge was closed to vehicles and pedestrians. Additionally, it was secured in the open position to allow marine traffic to pass while the interim repairs took place.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation said crews have worked around the clock, seven days a week. The interim repairs applied to the concrete foundations and electrical and mechanical components.

NJDOT Traffic Advisory — Route 71 Bridge over Shark River to reopen to vehicles and pedestrians at 7 p.m. Thursday, August 7 following interim repairs. Read more: https://t.co/T5Hc7D4IJc pic.twitter.com/onTDeChd62

— NJDOT (@NewJerseyDOT) August 7, 2025

Officials say that following the completion of rigorous testing, the bridge can resume normal operations.

The plan is for that to take place through Oct. 13. Then, at some point after, the bridge will close once again to make the permanent repairs – and returned to the open position to allow marine traffic to pass, with the detour restored.

Of course, this situation has hit right in the heart of the busy summer season – so the reopening of the span is welcome news for the local communities.

Officials say the repairs are similar to ones made to the Northern Leaf, last year. The Northern Leaf was not affected by this most recent mechanical failure.

Permanent plans

The permanent repair project is expected to take roughly two months. The NJDOT says it will provide advance notice before any closures.

An NJDOT capital project to replace the 93-year-old bridge is in the design phase, with final design expected to begin next year. With construction expected to start in 2028, the project anticipates completion in 2031.

The free shuttle bus between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea, which has operated since the closure, will run through 8 p.m. Aug. 8. It will resume when the permanent repair project gets underway.

More information is available on the NJDOT’s traffic information website.