Portion of Route 37 in Toms River closed in both directions for emergency utility repairs

Motorists should avoid a stretch of Route 37 in Toms River early this afternoon as utility crews undertake emergency repairs, police said. 

The highway is closed in both directions near intersection with the Garden State Parkway to Community Medical Center due to power wires across the roadway, said Toms River Police Department spokesman Ralph Stocco.

“We are coordinating a complete Route 37 closure/detour in both directions for JCP&L to commence at approximately noon due to an unforeseen emergency repair of electrical lines,” he said. “They are going to replace electrical wiring that fell on the roadway.

There will be two repair phases, Stocco said. The phases: 

Traffic will be detoured for approximately 20 minutes for phase one repairs. Route 37 eastbound will be sent down Lakehurst Road to outlying areas or Garden State Parkway northbound for access back onto Route 37. Route 37 westbound will be sent onto the Garden State Parkway to outlying areas or to Lakehurst Road to return to Route 37.
After an hour break to allow traffic to clear up, phase two will be another 20 minutes of the same detours.

The repair times are estimates and could run longer, according to Stocco.