Business owners along a closed stretched of Route 15 south in Jefferson Township say the closure is impacting their summer revenue.

The Department of Transportation deemed a bridge on the roadway unsafe for travel because its structure was shifting. It is in the process of installing a temporary bridge.

On any given weekend around lunchtime in the summer, the inside of Jefferson Dairy would be packed with people looking for a sweet treat. These days, however, only few can be seen.

Owner Adrianna Cassiere Allen says ever since the southbound lanes of Route 15 bridge near Cedar Terrace closed in early June, business has been slow.

"We are looking at over a 60% decrease in our revenue since the closure...Our 12 weeks, we bank on those 12 weeks to be able to carry us out the entire year," she says.

The installation of the temporary bridge is taking time that workers at the Castle Cove Mini golf & Arcade say they do not have.

"We've had camps that have been coming to us for years and booked with us in the winter for the summer season and have now had to cancel due to the detour,” said Castle Clove's Veronica Rossi.

Jefferson Township Mayor Eric Wilsusen says there are several things that need to get done for the temporary bridge – such as re-surfacing and repaving the roadway and then adding guardrails on both sides. He believes the bridge should be open in two weeks, hopefully to make lives easier for both residents and business owners.

"People come here next to the Jersey Shore. It's probably the next biggest attraction. So our local economy depends on the summer activity and people coming here during the June, July, August, September time frames," he said.

Businesses, however, remain optimistic.

"All of these businesses are open and we want to serve you," Rossi said.

Wilsusen says the temporary bridge is expected to open on July 19.

For updates on the bridge closure and a map that shows all open businesses during the closure can be found on this link.