An around-the-clock detour, that is expected to last until early July, is planned to start on Thursday, May 17, as part on the ongoing bridge replacement project on Sugar Street (Route 302) at the northern end of Ram Pasture.

State Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesman Kevin Nursick said May 15 that only southbound through-traffic will be allowed on the section of Elm Drive lying between the bridge project and Elm Drive's intersection with Hawley Road. Northbound through-traffic will be prohibited on that section of Elm Drive.

Motorists traveling northward on Elm Drive will be detoured to eastbound Hawley Road, which connects to South Main Street (Route 25), which runs parallel to Elm Drive.

Mr Nursick said that only residents with homes along the section of Elm Drive lying between the bridge project and Hawley Road will be allowed to travel northward there on Elm Drive as "local traffic," but not as "through-traffic."

DOT estimates that northbound Elm Drive through-traffic will be detoured onto Hawley Road until about July 4. But weather and unforeseen conditions may alter when traffic flow returns to normal.

Dayton Construction Company, Inc, is performing the $1.9-million bridge replacement project for the DOT. The new bridge will provide a wider roadway in the area, which becomes a bottleneck during traffic rush periods.

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