Route 35 Victory Bridge to close for this weekend
The New Jersey Department of Transportation will close the Route 35 Victory Bridge this weekend for electrical and mechanical repairs to the 73 year-old swing bridge. The closure will begin at 8:00 AM Saturday, May 15, and end Sunday, May 16, at 6:00 PM. Detours are posted. Motorists should avoid the area or use alternate routes like Route 9.
Built in 1926, the Victory Bridge is scheduled for replacement. The Department has advertised plans for the replacement contract and expects to award the contract this June. Construction of the new structure adjacent to the existing bridge will begin in early 2000. The $100 million project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2003 and will provide a new, fixed-span structure that will carry four lanes of traffic with shoulders over the Raritan River. The fixed-span structure will allow for boat traffic to navigate the waterway without affecting vehicular traffic on Route 35.
The electrical and mechanical work being done this weekend requires the bridge to remain in an open position. The work will help to ensure that the swing bridge can operate reliably until the new bridge goes into service.
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