Grove Avenue Bridge Closure Will Affect Metuchen and Edison Drivers This Summer
NJDOT will close Grove Avenue between Route 27 in Metuchen and Oak Tree Road in Edison starting June 25. The detour routes most traffic onto Plainfield Road and Oak Tree Road in Edison.
The official detour map during the Grove Avenue bridge replacement project. (Borough of Metuchen)
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Chris Howell | June 23, 2026
Drivers in Metuchen and Edison should expect a major detour beginning June 25, when the New Jersey Department of Transportation closes Grove Avenue to replace a bridge over a railroad.
Grove Avenue will be closed between Route 27 in Metuchen and Oak Tree Road in Edison for the duration of the project, which is expected to run through at least August 31. No through traffic will be permitted in that stretch. Residents will still be granted access, officials said.
The official detour routes traffic via Plainfield Road, pushing much of the displaced traffic onto roads in Edison. Because the detour loops around a golf course and surrounding neighborhoods where few alternate roads exist, most displaced traffic is expected to travel along Oak Tree Road and Plainfield Road in Edison.
Metuchen Mayor Jonathan Busch acknowledged the disruption in a video message posted to the borough website this week.
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“Yes, there will be delays, and yes, there will be detours,” Busch said. “These are aging systems that need maintenance now, and if we don’t allow these projects to happen, we can end up with bigger problems later.”
When school resumes in September, the work zone will be reduced to a single lane until the project is complete, Busch said.
HMH JFK University Medical Center is located near the project site on Grove Avenue. The Central Jerseyan is seeking clarification from the hospital and Edison officials about whether the closure could affect access to the medical center from neighborhoods to the west.
Metuchen residents face a second infrastructure project later this summer. Middlesex Water Company is expected to begin replacing a water main along Main Street from Durham Avenue to Brunswick Avenue on or around July 6.
Construction between Durham Avenue and Amboy Avenue will take place overnight, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., and will involve segmented closures of Main Street. As work advances between Amboy Avenue and Brunswick Avenue, construction will shift to daytime hours and involve lane shifts and detours.
Residents with questions about the water main project can contact Middlesex Water at 800-549-3802.
Mayor Busch said the borough will post schedule updates, detour information, and project changes as work progresses. Residents can monitor the borough website or sign up for Nixle alerts.
Editor’s note: The Central Jerseyan is free to read and supported by advertising. If you value this kind of local reporting and want to help sustain it, you can become a citizen supporter on Patreon. Your contribution helps fund continued coverage of local government, schools, and community issues.