For the second straight year, the Route 71 drawbridge over the Shark River has failed.

It connects Main Street between Avon-by-the-Sea and Belmar and has been left open for marine traffic while forcing cars and cyclists on a detour

"The roads are just more clogged,” said Bobbi Henniger, of Belmar.

“Now Route 35 is backed up like crazy,” said Claire Morrison, who owns The Macaroon Shop in Avon-by-the-Sea.

“That's unusual for us,” said Gary Henniger, of Belmar. “Last year, we didn't have that."

It's been a summer of disruption for commuters as work continues on the 93-year-old bridge. The Department of Transportation says it will reopen to land travelers in early-to-mid August, and then close again in mid-October for permanent repairs as new parts are manufactured

It’s also affecting local business, like Avon’s Macaroon Shop.

"Obviously, it's not the best summer we've ever had,” said Morrison. “And there's really not a whole lot of hope that we're actually going to get traffic at the end of the summer."

There is a free, DOT-run shuttle for the foot traffic that can't cross the bridge, but Morrison says it hasn't helped. The DOT has a capital project to build an entirely new bridge beginning in 2028.

It expects to finish it in 2031 at a cost between $75 and $100 million.

"Why does it take five years to replace a bridge?” asked Morrison. “I mean, they've built a lot bigger things in a lot shorter time."

"You want to make sure that none of the businesses in town are impacted by the design of the bridge, and it doesn't take away from the character of the town,” said Gary Henniger. “At the same time, you need a new bridge, and you want it to be a modern bridge so we don't have to deal with this any longer."