A $7.5 million road paving project on I-78 in New Jersey will kick off Monday, Aug. 5. It's expected to last until autumn 2020, state officials said.

The pavement preservation project will extend the life of nearly four miles of I-78 from Union Avenue in Hillside to Exit 58 on the New Jersey Turnpike in Newark, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT). Work will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. NJDOT's contractor, D'Annunzio and Sons Inc., will close the right lane on I-78 eastbound express beginning at Union Avenue in Hillside to create a work zone in the shoulder, which will then be milled and paved.

Following the completion of shoulder work, pavement preservation work will begin on the eastbound travel lanes, which will be overlaid with a "high-performance thin overlay" (HPTO). Work will take place overnight, and all travel lanes will be open to traffic before the morning commute. A minimum of three lanes will remain open throughout the duration of the project between the express and local roadways, the NJDOT stated. Following the completion of the pavement preservation on the eastbound side of the roadway, work will begin on I-78 westbound beginning near Exit 58 on the New Jersey Turnpike.

The project is estimated to be complete by fall 2020, the NJDOT stated. According to the NJDOT, the project will extend the functional life of the roadway and improve "ride quality." The precise timing of the work may be subject to change due to weather or other factors.