Route 15 bridge to open earlier than planned: Find out when

Commuters rejoice! The temporary southbound Route 15 bridge over the Rockaway River will be opening a whole week earlier than planned.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation announced Sunday that the bridge, which crosses over the Rockaway River, reopened as work continues to replace the 124-year-old structure.

In a press release from the NJDOT, the transportation agency announced that two lanes of traffic are open and construction to replace the older bridge "will continue on an accelerated schedule."

The bridge, near Berkshire Valley Road in Jefferson, failed a safety inspection and was closed June 4 for emergency construction.

The $11.6 million project is expected to be completed in the fall of 2025 with a "single-span concrete box beam structure." It will have two 12-foot-wide lanes and 10-foot-wide inside and outside shoulders and sidewalks on both sides, according to the release.

"The new bridge will improve the roadway geometry and improve sight distance," the release said. "The project will advance in stages to ease the impact on motorists."

The closure of the southbound lanes has caused issues and one lane was temporarily reopened to allow residents access to some local homes and businesses.