TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you're planning to drive through Toms River in the coming days, take heed: Lane closures and long-term traffic shifts are in the works at Route 166 and Route 37.

They begin Wednesday night with the closure of the closure of the southbound lanes of Route 166 between Old Freehold Road and Route 37. That closure is scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. and continue through 5 a.m. Thursday, the state Department of Transportation said. All traffic on that stretch will be shifted to the northbound lanes, with one lane in each direction. The closure is so New Prince Concrete, the DOT contractor, can install construction barriers and restripe the roadway.

In addition, the ramp from westbound Route 37 to southbound Route 166 will be closed, officials said. This is a long-term closure; motorists seeking to reach the portion of Route 166 southbound from Route 37 will be detoured to get on the Garden State Parkway southbound and then get off the Parkway immediately at Exit 82 for Route 37 east. The DOT is installing a raised median between the northbound and southbound lanes between Old Freehold Road and Highland Parkway, will make traffic signal improvements at the intersection of Routes 166 and 37, and will widen the road in the area to create a new through lane in each direction.

The $11.7 million project also includes drainage improvments and the construction of a retaining wall along Route 166 next to the Crossroads Center shopping center. The project, which was disrupted when Gov. Chris Christie suspended all work during the fight over the Transportation Trust Fund, is now scheduled to be completed in 2019, DOT officials said.

The precise timing of the work is subject to change due to weather or other factors. Motorists are encouraged to check NJDOT's traffic information website www.511nj.org for real-time travel information.