MILFORD - Today is the last day of the free summer-season shuttle service for pedestrians and bicyclists at the Milford-Montague Toll Bridge.

The Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission launched the shuttle service in May 2008 to coincide with the start of the summer tourism season in the region. With the onset of construction activities at the bridge in February, prudence and the safety of bicyclists and motorists dictated that the Commission suspend public access to the bridge's walkway -- where bicycles are normally allowed to be walked across the bridge - because it was part of an active construction zone. The shuttle service was put in place during the summer months to accommodate bicycle traffic during the peak vacation and tourism season in the area.

The Milford -Montague rehabilitation project is projected to cost $19.1 million and take until Memorial Day 2009 to reach substantial completion.

To facilitate the work, the Commission earlier this month announced the resumption of alternating lane closures on the bridge. The bridge rehabilitation contract also allows intermittent temporary closures of both traffic lanes on the bridge for maximum 15-minute durations between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and for maximum 30-minute durations between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Work crews are required to sufficiently clear traffic queues between bridge-closure periods.

Motorists may encounter delays because of the lane shutdown and intermittent bridge closures.