Morris Avenue in Denville Township will close to through traffic in early August as Morris County replaces the deck on the Morris Avenue Bridge over Beaver Brook, a project that reroutes drivers just minutes from Rockaway.
Construction is scheduled to begin on or about Thursday, August 6, 2026, with crews working from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on regular business days, Monday through Friday. The county expects the work to take about two months to complete, weather permitting.
While the bridge is closed, motorists will follow a signed detour of roughly three miles using Ford Road and Kitchell Road. Truck traffic is advised to use Route 80 instead. Access to Morris Catholic High School and nearby businesses will remain open throughout the project.
For Rockaway residents who regularly drive into Denville along the Route 80 and Route 46 corridor, the closure is worth planning around, especially during the daytime work hours.
The existing bridge is a single-span prestressed concrete structure built in 1958. County officials said it remains structurally sound, but its concrete driving surface has worn down over the years, and repeated patching has not stopped recurring potholes. A full deck replacement was chosen as the most practical and cost-effective way to extend the bridge’s service life.
The $352,725 project is county funded and is being handled by CMS Construction of Plainfield. Rockaway drivers can find county road updates on the Morris County website.
