NJDOT to begin construction on new Southard Street Bridge in Trenton
(Trenton)
– New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) Commissioner
Jack Lettiere joined State Senator Shirley K. Turner, County Executive
Brian Hughes, Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, and representatives
from U.S. Senator Jon Corzine and U.S. Rep. Chris Smith's offices
today in a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new
$16 million Southard Street Bridge over Route 1 and the Conrail
Railroad line in Trenton. The federally funded project
will replace the current bridge, which was built in 1921 and is
obsolete by current standards and has decayed due to aging.
“Last year,
we began the largest bridge rehabilitation program in the state's
history. We have funding for work on nearly 70 bridges
throughout the state,” said Lettiere. “This local project
will restore a critical link in the City of Trenton.”
“Many of New
Jersey's bridges like the Southard Street Bridge need immediate
help from the federal government. Hundreds of these structures
will have to be repaired or replaced in the next few years, but
the future of the bill authorizing funding for projects like this
remains in question,” said U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg in a
statement. “The Bush administration needs to step up to
the plate and provide the resources necessary to bring New Jersey's
bridges up to speed and safe for use.”
"I am
delighted that this transportation project is moving forward.
Federal support for such projects is vital to easing traffic congestion
and facilitating economic development in the region. I look forward
to working with my colleagues in the New Jersey Congressional
delegation to ensure that our state continues to receive needed
transportation resources,” noted U.S. Rep. Rush Holt in a statement.
The new
bridge will be built to current national standards. It will carry
two 12” lanes of traffic with 8” shoulders and 6” sidewalks on
both sides. Both approaches will be reconstructed and realigned
for improved access to the bridge. The three-span steel
plate girder structure of the bridge totals 373” in length.
The bridge's vertical clearance over the railroad and the highway
will also be increased.
Several
pieces of the bridge's history will be preserved by the D&R
Canal Commission and some will be used on the new bridge.
The two boxes on the existing structure that directed the canal
boats will be housed in the D&R Canal museum. Abutment
stones will be salvaged for use as veneer facing on the new concrete
abutments and two plaques incorporated into the original structure
will be removed and remounted on the new bridge parapet.
The new bridge will have antique style lighting, arched cutouts
to mimic the original structure's railing and other historic aesthetics
features.
The bridge
will not be closed to vehicle traffic until a pedestrian bridge
is fully constructed. By late fall, the pedestrian bridge
is expected to be ready and at that time the bridge will be closed
vehicle traffic.
During
the construction of the new bridge, northbound traffic will be
detoured onto left onto Perry Street, right onto Montgomery Street
then right onto Brunswick Avenue to reconnect with Southard Street.
Southbound traffic will be detoured to Princeton Avenue
then to North Olden Avenue, right onto North Clinton Avenue and
right onto Perry Street to reconnect with Southard Street.
Temporary
shielding will be constructed over Route 1 to allow for a minimum
of 2 lanes of traffic to remain open on Route 1 throughout most
of the construction stage. NJDOT hopes to have all lanes
of traffic open on Route 1 during peak driving hours. Temporary
15 minute full closures of Route 1 may be necessary between the
hours of 11 p.m. and 4 a.m. on weekdays.
Scoping
work for the project started in 2000. The construction
contract was awarded in May to Neshaminy Contractors, Inc.
The bridge should be opened to traffic by late 2005 with construction
completed in June 2006.
