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news release

P.O. Box 600
Trenton, NJ

Contact: Marc La Vorgna
609-530-4280

RELEASE: November 09, 2004


Commissioner Lettiere marks opening of new Route 70 Bridge in Southampton

Bridge was destroyed during July flooding

(Southampton) New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner Jack Lettiere joined with Assemblyman Francis Bodine, Freeholder Vince Farias and other Burlington County officials this afternoon to announce the completion and opening of the new permanent Route 70 Bridge over the Friendship Creek in Southampton Township.

The bridge was completely rebuilt in less than four months, after the existing structure was destroyed by severe flooding on July 13, 2004.

"Route 70 is a vital East-West corridor through Burlington County, and carries a significant amount of shore traffic from the Philadelphia area. Quickly replacing the bridge with a new permanent structure was a top priority and I am proud to say we got it done," said Commissioner Lettiere.

NJDOT crews and contractors worked around the clock immediately after the bridge was washed out to construct a temporary bridge within one week. Installing the temporary bridge so quickly and completing the entire permanent bridge within 4 months were both significant accomplishments for NJDOT.

The Route 70 Bridge, which carries the highway over the Friendship Creek near Holly Boulevard in Southampton Township, collapsed in July due to severe flooding in the area following a major rainstorm. Commissioner Lettiere immediately closed Route 70 in Southampton and announced that a detour had been set up to divert traffic around the collapsed bridge until the temporary structure was in place. In addition, Governor James E. McGreevey declared a State of Emergency in Burlington and Camden Counties in response to widespread flooding at the time.

The new bridge, constructed by IEW Construction Group of Trenton, NJ and owned by the NJDOT, provides for one lane of eastbound and westbound traffic, as the original Route 70 bridge did before the flood damage. The entire project cost approximately $6 million. Roughly 14,000 cars (both directions) pass over the Route 70 bridge each day.

 
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  Last Updated:  January 6, 2012