Bridge connecting New Brunswick, Piscataway will remain closed for weeks, DOT says
NEW BRUNSWICK – The Landing Lane Bridge over the Raritan River and Delaware & Raritan Canal is expected to remain closed for another two to three weeks until repairs are completed, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation.
That timeline could be subject to change, NJDOT spokesman Brian Ahrens wrote in an email.
NJDOT’s contractor, I.E.W. Construction Group, closed and detoured the bridge, one of the heavily traveled links between New Brunswick and Piscataway, for six weeks in mid-July to allow completion of emergency repairs to the bridge superstructure and deck.
NJDOT announced in August the bridge was expected to remain closed until mid-November, saying "it was determined that the damage to the girders and webbing was more extensive than anticipated, and a more extensive repair would be required."
"As previously noted, our engineers discovered damage to the bridge girders and webbing that was more extensive than anticipated, requiring more involved repairs," NJDOT spokesman Steve Schapiro wrote in an email. "Additionally, the need to work with PSE&G on utility relocations is also taking a little longer than expected."
The emergency repairs are necessary to prevent further deterioration of the existing structures prior to a full-scale replacement project.
The replacement project is currently in the preliminary engineering phase, which is an early stage of project development, Ahrens said.
"We are still expecting to begin construction in 2025," he added.
The bridge has been "in poor condition," has one lane of travel in each direction with no shoulders and a 5-foot timber sidewalk.
The sidewalk will remain open for the duration of the repair project, Ahrens said.
Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Bridge connecting New Brunswick, Piscataway to remain closed for weeks
