The second "summer of hell" construction project officially starts in roughly three weeks when two lanes of a bridge on the highway to and from the Lincoln Tunnel will close for two years plus.

The closing date is August 17, a day that drivers and bus commuters have been dreading, when two lanes in each direction of a Route 495 bridge over Routes 1&9 will be closed for two-and-a-half years, state Department of Transportation officials said.

The 31st Street ramp from Kennedy Boulevard to Route 495 west, will close a week earlier on August 10. Here's what you need to know about this pain inducing project.

Q: What is being done?

A: The $90.3 million project to replace the 80-year-old viaduct that carries Route 495 over Routes 1&9 started last September. But that work took place underneath the spans, affecting a limited number of drivers on certain nights and weekends.

The major work starting August 17 requires closing one lane in each direction and will last until 2021. A ramp from Route 3 east and the New Jersey Turnpike also will be reduced from two to one lane. The Xclusive Bus Lane that uses a westbound lane of Route 495 to carry buses to the Lincoln Tunnel will remain open during the project.

Q: How much traffic uses this bridge?

A: More than 9,200 cars an hour travel during the peak commuting hours on four lanes and all it takes is one problem to back traffic up for miles. In the evening commuting peak, traffic exceeds 10,100 vehicles a hour. That includes 1,800 buses using the Xclusive Bus Lane from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and returning to New Jersey in the evening using Route 495.

Q: The DOT said this would start in mid-summer, why wait for August?

A: Officials didn't announce a start date until the Pulaski Skyway was reopened on June 30 to two-way traffic to provide an alternate route.

DOT officials said they coordinated the Route 495 bridge project with regional transportation projects to minimize traffic congestion.

Q: What are the options for Route 495 commuters?

A: Bring a travel mug of coffee and an audiobook if you plan on traveling at the same time you do now. DOT officials aren't downplaying the severity when they say closing two lanes for construction will cause severe congestion and limit how much traffic the road can carry.

Options include starting your commute earlier and allowing more time, if you must drive. The Xclusive Bus lane will remain open, so buses are an option, but the same advice applies, leave early because rush hour buses are crowded.

NY Waterway ferries are an option to avoid the tunnel and Route 495, the trick is accessing the Hudson River waterfront. Taking NJ Transit commuter trains to Hoboken drops you at ferries to downtown and midtown Manhattan in Hoboken Terminal.

Q: How will this affect bus service?

A: With the XBL remaining open, 18 bus local routes, including some New York service, will be detoured by the August 10 closing of the 31st Street ramp from Kennedy Boulevard to Route 495 west, NJ Transit officials said. Those buses will be detoured daily between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m. in the afternoon and at night, starting on the morning of August 11.

The bus routes that will be detoured daily between 1 p.m. and 6 a.m., are the 87, 107, 108, 111, 124, 127S, 129, 144, 160, 161, 163, 167, 190, 190X, 191, 192, 195 and 199 lines.

Officials expect traffic delays through Union City and riders should plan accordingly for these delays. The 83, 85, 127, and 320 routes will not be detoured, but are expected to experience delays, officials said.

Q: Is this work really going to finish on time?

A: It better. The Route 495 project is scheduled to be finished in summer 2021 and contractors face penalties if they miss the deadline, officials said.

Q: How can I stay in the loop?

A: The DOT created a website for this project www.RestoreNJ495.com - which contains a background information and will be updated with new information as work progresses. Commuters also can sign-up there for email alerts.

The DOT has a phone hotline at 201-408-8495 and an email, DOTOutreachRT495@dot.nj.gov for specific questions. DOT officials will also use Variable Message Signs to alert drivers about traffic pattern changes because of the work.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

