By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
The closure of the Route 206 bridge over Stony Brook in Princeton will continue through the early part of the week and detours will remain in effect until further notice, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
An emergency closure of a section of Route 206 over the bridge, to both northbound and southbound traffic, had been implemented Feb. 26.
Beginning that night, the state Department of Transportation set up a detour for motorists. Route 206 southbound traffic was diverted to Route 518 to Carter Road. Northbound traffic was detoured to Carter Road and Route 518.
The Princeton Police Department set up a secondary detour, sending southbound traffic onto Hutchinson Drive to Mercer Road and then to Lovers Lane. Northbound traffic was diverted onto Lovers Lane to Mercer Road and onto Hutchinson Drive.
Detour signs, road closed signs and traffic cones and barricades have been placed in the area of the detours. The state Department of Transportation closed one lane of traffic on the bridge earlier this week, but decided to close both lanes Thursday.
A parapet collapsed on the southbound side of the stone bridge, just past Quaker Road, near the Hun School and Jasna Polana country club. State Department of Transportation engineers are evaluating the bridge and will design a repair.
The historic nature of the Stony Brook bridge requires the work to be done, using similar construction methods.
